Saving Labyrinth
by AnimeRANDOMNESS
Summary: Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, she fought her way through to save her baby brother. Now, only a few weeks later, Sarah must once again brave the perils of the Underground; this time, to save the Goblin King...and the Labyrinth itself.
1. The Missing King

**_Well, here it is! After days of hard research (watching Labyrinth and reading fanfiction) and hours of grueling labor (sitting on my hinny, typing by minimally moving my fingers), I have successfully competed chapter one of my forthcoming fanfiction! And to those of you who have noticed that my attention span is unbearably short and completing things is excruciatingly difficult for me, I am happy to announce a solution! *holds up piece of paper* TA DA! AN OUTLINE! Now I'm set for ideas at least until Chapter Three or Four! Ah, but you didn't come here to hear my mindless chatter! So with no more ado… ^_^ Enjoy!_**

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_You have no power over me._

He soared above the treetops, the rain pricking at his body like needles. The night was dark and stormy, but the white owl scarcely noticed. A flash of lightening split the sky. His head was spinning, reeling from what had happened. Jareth, the Goblin King, Lord of the Labyrinth, Ruler of the Western Realm, bested by a mortal girl. No, not bested. Defeated. Conquered.

_You have no power over me._

The words still stung his ears, each echo piercing deeper. _How? _He thought desperately, his drenched body trembling. He had offered her everything. Immortality, a life of luxury and power, and even himself. It was more than he had offered anyone before. And he had asked so little in return. It had been merely a trifle compared to all he had to give. She had known that. She must have known. Hadn't she?

Jareth flew on blindly, unconsciously beating his white wings against the storm. He was still in shock from her response. Even with all his magic, his powers, his Sight, he had not fathomed that she would refuse. Arrogance was partly to blame, perhaps. He knew full well how handsome he was. And to be his Queen, to rule at his side for all eternity…no mere human could have possibly overcome that temptation. Yet Sarah Williams had. She hadn't even seemed to be listening.

Jareth had poured out his heart, offered her the world, and the girl had been too busy trying to remember her lines to pay any attention.

_You have no power over me._

And no sooner had the cruel words left her lips, Jareth's world shattered. By magic unknown, he had found himself cast from the underground and stripped of his powers. The days that followed were a blur. Jareth wasn't sure how long had passed. Days? Weeks? It felt more like hours.

A sudden violent gust hit the white owl, catching him by surprise. He fell only a few feet before regaining his senses and correcting his flight. Jareth was surprised to notice how weak he had become. He had been so occupied with trying to piece together what had happened, he had neglected food and rest. Jareth tried to clear his head, but found his thoughts unable to be dismissed. All he could think about was Sarah. Sometimes, it was with clenched teeth and bitter hatred, cursing her for whatever she had done to him, damning her to suffer for the rest of her finite existence. Other times, it was with an aching chest and intense longing, yearning to touch her fair face and comb his fingers through her dark, silky hair, willing to sacrifice all he owned just for the chance to hold her in his arms.

So Jareth flew on in circles, hating her, loving her, but unable to banish her from his mind.

_I may have no power over you, _he thought wretchedly, closing his eyes, _But you have power over me. _

The Goblin King was jolted out of his revelation by a white bolt of lightning that nearly grazed his wings. He reeled backwards in alarm. He had not realized how much worse the storm had gotten. Finally aware of the danger, Jareth steered himself around and soared downwards to seek shelter. There was an old oak tree not a half-mile down. Surely there was a hollow in it where he could wait out the gale.

Another lightning bolt seared past him too closely, and his downward decent became a dive. Fear was a thing that Jareth rarely felt, but now, without his magic, the Fae was reminded that even he was not above death. Only a few yerds away from the tree, the white owl saw a knothole carefully carved by some other animal. It would be snug, but at least he could be safe and dry.

Suddenly, another gust of wind slammed into him, knocking the breath from his lungs. The wind tossed him like a rag doll as he fluttered wildly in an attempt to regain control. But it was no use. Jareth hit the tree's trunk with a sickening thud, and plummeted to the ground.

He laid there limply on the wet leaves, pain overwhelming his senses. He didn't have the strength to move, and his pride wouldn't allow him to cry out, especially not in the high-pitched shriek of an owl.

_Is this it?_ Jareth wondered miserably, darkness eating at the corners of his vision. _This is how I die? No one will even recognize my body. I'll just be a simple beast, an owl who died in the storm…_

As the rain drummed softly on his feathered body, he realized that dying like a common bird wasn't even what bothered him most. Nor was it dying far, far away from his home. No; what pained his heart most was the realization that he would die alone. He didn't want to die alone. He wanted to be with _her_. To feel her arms hold him tightly to her, her warm, soft cheek against his.

_Sarah…_

And with that last despairing thought, the Goblin King's world went black.

* * *

"…but why? Why must we part?" She pleaded, blinking back tears. "Why can't we stay here forever, to cut ourselves free from Time and be as eternal as the stars? We…"

Her brow furrowed, tears gone.

"…we…..we…………oh, damn it! I almost had it that time!"

Sighing, the girl glanced helplessly at the dwarf sitting on her bed.

"Hoggle, what was that last line again?"

"We need not fear beasts, men, or magic, for True Love conquers all," He replied, squinting at the small playbook.

"We need not fear beasts, men or magic, for True Love conquers all," Sarah repeated, rolling her eyes, "God! There's always one stupid line I can't remember! What if I get up there and can't remember the most important line?!"

"Yer worryin' too much," Hoggle said, slamming the playbook shut, "You'll get the part fer sure. You've been in lots'a plays before, haven't ye?"

"Yes, but this is _High School_, Hoggle," Sarah sighed, "Just because I was in the Junior High plays doesn't mean anything. And the try-outs are during the first week of school. I'll be all stressed out anyways, and then I'll have to remember the whole monologue, too!"

"Ehh," the dwarf grunted, waving his hand, "You'll be fine. Yer stronger than ye think. Even some a' the goblins are afraid of ye."

The girl chuckled.

Seeing that she was in a better mood, Hoggle cleared his throat nervously, and spoke up.

"Say, Sarah, I been meanin' ta talk ta ye."

Hearing his sudden change of tone, Sarah turned around. Whenever the dwarf made an attempt at being well-spoken, something was the matter.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Ah, nothin', nothin'!" Hoggle said quickly, but she knew that he wasn't telling the truth. Something was bothering him.

He looked at the floor, muttering to himself.

"How come I has to be the one who says it? Didymus was here jus' two days ago, and he didn't say nothin'… 'bravest soul in the Labyrinth' my a-"

"Hoggle?"

"Ah! Sorry! Right!" He said, looking back up. He cleared his throat again for good measure. "I was just curious, see…we all was, actually...'bout what happened in the castle."

Sarah swallowed. She hadn't told any of her friends about what had happened in the Escher Room, or what _he_ had said. The girl looked back at her mirror and set about brushing her hair with vigor.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Hoggle tried, trying to clarify, "What happened between ye an' Jareth?"

Sarah wracked her brain for a good response. Something that was vague.

"Nothing, really," She lied.

"Oh," He said, "Well, from what I heard, Jareth don't take losing well, and Didymus thought that the two 'a ye might have fought to the death or some garbage like that."

The dwarf chuckled nervously, before noting Sarah's silence, and raising his eyebrows.

"Ye…ye _didn't _kill him, did ye?"

"_No! _No, of_ course not!_" She balked, whirling around, "I didn't touch him!"

"Oh, good!" He said in relief, putting a hand over his heart.

"Why would Sir Didymus think that anyway?" Sarah said, putting her hands on her hips. She knew that she could be a little scary when she was angry, but she had never thought she had come off as a would-be murderer.

Hoggle sat down on her bed, waving a hand wearily.

"Ah, people have been comin' to all kinds of weird conclusions since…"

He froze mid-sentence. It was obvious that he hadn't meant to say that aloud.

The girl frowned.

"Since…?"

"…since…well…since the King disappeared."

Sarah stood in stunned silence for a few moments. Finally, she spoke up.

"Jareth…he's gone missing? For how long?"

"Don' know exactly," Hoggle answered, rubbing his head. "Not as if I tried to seek him out, ye know. I didn't have a death wish! But…the goblins hasn't seen hind nor hair o' him since ye left."

The girl felt a hard knot form in her stomach. She remembered the look on his face just before the clock chimed. His wide eyes and open mouth, a look of utter disbelief staining his arrogant face. However, in the second before the swirling magic had engulfed them both, his expression had changed to one of pain. Had something happened to him? By conquering the Labyrinth, had _she_ accidentally done something to him? Sarah forcibly cleared those sort of thoughts from her head, surprised she felt such guilt over the disappearance of a man who had gleefully drug her through hell.

"Oh, he's probably just off sulking in a tree somewhere," She snorted, "You said yourself he was a sore loser. And why are you so worried about Jareth anyway?"

"I _ain't_ worried about Jareth!" Hoggle spat distastefully, "His Royal Haughtiness can rot in an oubliette fer all I care! I'm worried about _us!_" The dwarf calmed down a little and shook his head. "The surroundin' realms ain't what you'd call friendly, and Edorin would _love_ ta get his hands on the Labyrinth."

"Edorin?" Sarah asked, "Who's he?"

Hoggle shook his head.

"I keep forgetting that ye don't know anything. Edorin's the Troll Lord. Nasty piece a' work, too. Goblins is mischievous, but Trolls is downright _evil_."

Suddenly, a baby's cry rang out from the other room, making both Sarah and Hoggle jump.

"Oh, we must have woken Toby up!" The girl exclaimed, rushing towards the door. "I better go calm him down before Dad gets home."

She looked back to see her dwarven friend climbing back into her vanity mirror.

"I guess I better go, too," Hoggle said, a leg disappearing into the mirror's surface, "Last time I was gone too long, that big oaf Ludo wandered into a fairy's nest. Took hours just ta cut all the pests out of his hair. 'Night, Sarah."

"Good night, Hoggle," Sarah replied, and added, "And…be careful, okay?"

He gave her a crooked grin, and disappeared into the mirror.

Far away, a tall figure lounging on a steel throne looked on as they parted.

"Sage advice, _mortal_," He murmured, "Let's see how your friends fare without your help." He twirled his finger, sending the marble orb spiraling upwards, watching as the human girl rocked her infant brother in her arms. Then, he flicked his wrist, and the Seeing-Stone –along with the picture of the girl – shattered into dust.

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**Well, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. It will definetly get more interesting from now on, I promise! AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! Constuctive criticism and suggestions are quite welcome! Your comments are treasured by me forever! 3**


	2. Midnight Visitors

I'm so very happy to see that a few of you actually enjoy my sad little attempt at fanfiction. Thank you so much to those who left reviews! They are the cookies that feed my creativity! ^_^

**And please remember, I luvs your suggestions! *glomps the suggestion box***

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It was midnight. The house was still and silent. Toby was fast asleep in his crib, chewing on Lancelot's ear. Her father and stepmother had gotten home late from their party, and went right to bed. Sarah herself lay in her bed, snuggled under her comforters, deep within a dreamless slumber.

So no one noticed when the tall mirror in the foyer began glowing, or the two small figures that emerged from its rippling surface.

The shorter one glared around at the furniture, and hissed to its companion,

"I thought you said you could get us into her bedroom!"

The other winced.

"I'm sorry, I thought I could. I didn't know they would have so many reflective surfaces," she said meekly, adjusting her raspberry-colored cloak.

The first grunted impatiently.

"Nevermind. 'Spose I should be grateful there was anyone else in the castle who could open portals to the Aboveground. Now, c'mon. Who knows what kind of hidden dangers this place holds?"

As it happened, it was one of Toby's plastic doughnuts, quickly followed by a kitchen chair, a stray slipper, a vase full of wild roses that stung like a nest of bees, a precariously placed coffee mug (cold coffee included), and lastly, Merlin, who was eager to greet the newcomers with a slobbering kiss.

Thankfully for them, everyone else slept on, oblivious to the crashing, yelping, and elvish cursing.

When the two finally did find Sarah's room, the male, who had the unfortunate luck of falling victim to all the house's hazards, stumbled in as quietly as he could, with the female following behind him, trying to steer him clear of anything else he could possibly hurt himself on.

"Thank the gods the girl sleeps like the dead," he groaned, starting towards the bed.

His companion stayed put.

"What are you _doing?_" She asked worriedly, watching as he carefully scaled the mattress.

"Hush, girl!" He hissed, putting a gnarled finger to his mouth. He carefully drew his small dagger. "It's a trick I learned from his Highness. I need to make sure that when she wakes up, she's scared. She's not going to help us if she's not intimidated!"

"Do you really think that's such a good idea?" The small figure asked nervously.

"Of course it is!" He snapped. He readied himself.

On the floor, his companion only shook her head and backed up a few steps.

Sarah was woken from her sleep by a sharp jab in the side.

"_Oww!_" She cried out, sitting up, "_What the…?!_"

Her question was answered by the sight that met her. A goblin, two feet tall, with dark bluish-green skin and a black cape, stood at eye level, gripping a sharp dagger.

"_What have you done with our King, human?!_" It demanded savagely.

Now, if this same scenario had happened but a few short weeks ago, Sarah would have screamed, dived under the covers and tried feverishly to wake herself up. But, as it happened, she had changed quite a bit in those few weeks, and Sarah knew one thing for sure; she didn't like goblins.

Without a second thought, she curled her hand into a fist, pulled it back, and rammed it squarely into the goblin's ugly face. The momentum from the sucker punch sent it crashing to her floor.

"My _nooooooooose!_" He howled in pain, gripping his face, "My _nooooooose!_"

Before he could even get to his feet, Sarah was out of bed and a few inches from him, winding up her foot for a finishing blow.

"Wait!" A female voice cried.

Another figure darted in front of the goblin, arms thrown out in an effort to defend him. Sarah was surprised to see that she was _not_ a goblin. She was small, delicate-looking, and quite pretty, with long blond hair pulled into a braid, large green eyes, and small pointed ears.

"Please, Mi'lady!" The petite girl begged, "Please don't! Turnok didn't mean you any harm!"

Sarah hesitated, and grudgingly put her foot back down.

"Then why was he in my bed? And why are you in my room? And just who the heck are you two _anyway?!_"

The little creature gave a bow.

"My name is Leija. I serve as His Highness's maidservant at the castle." She gestured to the fallen goblin, who still was holding his nose. "Turnok is the Captain of the Royal Guard."

Sarah blinked.

"His Highness…? You mean, Jareth?"

Turnok lept to his feet.

"How dare you speak his name so casually, human! You will address him as King Jareth, or nothing else!"

Sarah's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, _really?_"

Sensing another boot coming on, Leija quickly intervened.

"Please, Mi'lady, don't mind Turnok. His Majesty's absence has been terribly hard on him."

She lowered her eyes.

"…it's been terribly hard on all of us."

Sarah's anger lost its footing at the sight of Leija's saddened face. She shot Turnok one last glare, and turned to her.

"Why is it so hard? He treats his subjects like dirt! I'd think you would be having a ball without him there threatening to toss you in the Bog of Eternal Stench!"

Turnok reddened and balled his gnarled hands into fists.

"His Highness is generous, merciful, and just! If he threatens to toss someone into the Bog, it's because they deserve it!"

The girl snorted.

"'Generous'? 'Merciful'? 'Just'? Are you sure we're talking about the same Goblin King?"

"Why, you arrogant little surface dweller!" The goblin exploded, grabbing his dagger, "You're not fit to grovel at his feet! I'll teach you some respect…!"

Leija grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him backward.

"Turnok, please! Try to be civil! We need her help!"

"My help?" Sarah repeated, frowning. "Why would you need _my_ help?"

The gnome girl glanced at her goblin friend, then back up at her. She looked anxious.

"The Western Realm…it is in grave danger."

"My scouts reported that the trolls on the move," Turnok said grimly, "They will be at our borders within two days, if not sooner. And without our lord, the Labyrinth will most certainly fall."

"_What?!_" Sarah gasped. Her friends. They were in danger. She needed to warn them!

The girl rushed over to her vanity and starred into the mirror.

"Hoggle?" She cried, "Hoggle, can you hear me? Please answer!"

The mirror remained blank and soundless.

"Hoggle?" Sarah called again, panic rising in her voice, "Ludo? Didymus? _Anyone?! Why aren't you answering?!_"

"Edorin must have sealed the Mirror Portals!" Turnok spat angrily, "_Damn it!_ Now we're stuck here!"

"There's still hope," Leija insisted, looking up at Sarah with her large emerald eyes, "We have to find the King. He's the only one who can go between our worlds without the portals."

"Well, where is he?" The girl asked, looking around, half expecting the Fae to appear in her bedroom at any second, like he had the first time.

"We don't know," Leija replied, "The King has been missing for two whole weeks. No one knows what has become of him. Except…"

She paused. The three stood in silence for a few moments, before Sarah realized what she meant.

"What, _me?_"

"You were the last one to see the King before he disappeared," Leija said, clasping her hand together, "Please, try to remember! Did he say anything to you? Did you see something? Anything at all?"

Taking a deep breath, Sarah closed her eyes and tried hard to concentrate. In her mind's eye, she saw the Escher room, and then the ruins. Jareth was there.

_Fear me, Love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave, _he had said. But he couldn't have been telling the truth. It had been another trick, trying to stall her until the clock struck thirteen, so that he could keep Toby. That's why the words had come to her so easily.

_You have no power over me._

And then the room had vanished, and she had been surrounded by the swirling, shimmering magic. When it had cleared, she was back in her living room, beside a white owl…

"A white owl," Sarah said suddenly, opening her eyes. "When he brought me back, he turned into a white owl and flew out the window."

"He came back _with_ you?" Turnok asked, raising his eyebrows. "That can't be right! He would have never brought you back in person! He would have just sent you back!"

He glanced over at his companion.

"Right, Leija? That's how it works, isn't it?"

Leija nodded, her brow furrowed.

"Yes, that's right. If he did indeed return with you, then something must have gone wrong."

"Then His Highness _is_ in this world!" Turnok said excitedly, sheathing his dagger, "Now we just need to find him!"

"But how?" Sarah said exasperatedly, wishing she had his optimism, "We don't even know where to start looking!"

"I can help with that," the gnome girl said quickly, digging into the folds of her cloak. Her hand emerged holding a ring of braided silver. On the top was a pure gold owl with sapphire eyes.

"The Insignia Ring!" Turnok marvled, eyes wide.

"Yes," Leija said, holding it up. "It's an enchanted relic handed down to every Goblin King. Mi'lord told me he sealed some of his magic into it to bind it to him. Maybe, it will help us find him. Mi'lady? Can I have your hand?"

"Uh, sure," Sarah said hesitantly, offering Leija her right one. The gnome girl gently slipped it onto her forefinger.

Turnok balked.

"_What are you doing, girl?!_ The sacred Insignia Ring cannot be worn by a _mere human_!"

Leija looked back at him, her face determined.

"The Labyrinth cannot be conquered by a _mere human_ either. There's something more to her. His Majesty sensed it, as well."

Seeing the shocked expression on his face, she added gently,

"This could be our only chance, Turnok."

He said nothing, only nodded slowly. They waited wordlessly, all starring at the ring on Sarah's finger, each silently praying that it would work. For the longest time, nothing happened. But then, the owl's sapphire eyes began to glow dimly. It slowly rotated a half –turn to the right, before turning a quarter-turn back to the left. Once in place, the golden owl spread its wings.

Sarah looked up at the window and jabbed a finger in the direction the ring pointed.

"It's pointing towards the park! Come on! We don't have much time!"

* * *

**I told you it would pick up fairly quickly! I don't know about you, but I get bored easily, so the faster the action commences, the better! PLEASE REVIEW OR JARETH WILL DUMP ME IN THE BOG OF ETERNAL STENCH!**


	3. Good News and Bad News

Outside, the storm had come to a rest, the darkened sky still thundering every once in a while to remind those down bellow of its presence. Sarah ran down the dark streets, the goblin and gnome close on her heels. She had only bothered to pull on a raincoat and boots over her nightgown. A cold wind blew past her. Shivering, the girl pulled her coat closer to her, but continued her frenzied pace, running in the direction that the ring pointed, scanning the skies and trees for any sign of a while owl.

After five blocks, the three came to the park. Usually filled with children playing happily on the playground, it was now desolate and bleak, and the only noise came from the swings creaking in the wind. The golden owl shifted slightly to the left, and Sarah hurried in the new direction. The park gave way to the old bike trail; the bike trail melted into the street, but still, there was no sign of any birds at all. Sarah felt doubt begin to trickle into her heart.

_This is ridiculous. Who knows how far away he is? He could be in the next city by now, or even the next state! Maybe the ring doesn't work at all, and it will just lead us in circles…_

The girl shook her head, quickening her pace. No; she couldn't afford to think like that. Her friends were counting on her. She would find Jareth. If it took all night, and she had to run all the way to the next county, she would find him.

As another fifteen minutes passed, that began to feel like a distinct possibility, until the owl on the ring spun again, and they veered sharply to the left, and into an old cemetery. Seeing that her companions were wheezing and panting trying to match her pace, Sarah kindly slowed to a brisk walk, allowing them to regain their breath.

Turnok looked around, shooting each tombstone with a suspicious glare.

"What is this place? Why are all these carved stones here?"

"It's a cemetery," Sarah replied, stepping over a bouquet of flowers someone had left for a loved one, "It's where humans bury the dead."

"We're walking on top of dead bodies?!" Turnok spat, "_Disgusting!_"

"You plant them, like seeds?" Leija said curiously, looking over at a marble angel, "Do they grow into new humans?"

"Uh, well, actually…"

"Of course not, you silly girl!" Turnok huffed, "They must grow into these stone sculptures!"

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, looking very ill.

"Wait…if the Insignia Ring brought us here…does that mean that…that His Majesty…?"

"No!" Sarah said firmly, pushing her way past a shrub, "No, it doesn't. Now keep looking!"

_God, I hope not…_she thought to herself, nausea turning her stomach. _No, he isn't dead. Geeze, why am I so worried about him, anyway?_

It was absurd, being so concerned about someone who was so selfish and vain. He had kidnapped Toby, after all, and had tried everything to stop her from getting him back…_including_ her attempted homicide. But then again, it had been her fault for wishing her brother away in the first place…

_No. Bad Sarah,_ she rebuked herself_, It's Jareth's fault. You didn't really think it would work. Jareth's fault. Bad, evil, stupid Jareth._

Sarah was busy trying to brainwash herself when she caught sight of something on the ground. It was moving around, flapping futilely. The girl approached cautiously.

It was an owl, a white one. It was dragging its left wing, and seemed to be dazed.

The girl looked down at the ring. Yes; the golden owl seemed to be pointing directly at it. She walked a few steps closer and bent down.

The owl turned around and looked up at her. They starred at each other for a few moments.

"Jareth?" Sarah asked quietly.

The owl nodded. Since regular owls do not nod, she had no reason to suspect it was lying. Leija and Turnok, who had seen the owl only moments after Sarah, ran over.

"Your Highness!" Turnok croaked, bowing low before him, "Thank the gods you're alright!"

The owl seemed a little shocked to see the goblin and gnome, but quickly recovered. He opened his beak to say something, but paused, and shut it again.

Leija stepped forward.

"Milord? What is wrong? Can you not change back?"

He ruffled his feathers, but remained silent. Both of his subjects stared at each other in dismay. Sarah was about to have the same reaction, when she remembered the ring. She slipped it off of her finger.

"This is yours, isn't it?" She asked, holding it out to him.

The white owl's large, mismatched eyes widened as he recognized the ring. He quickly snatched it in his beak. Within moments, the ring was glowing a bright blue. Sarah watched in wonder as the owl began to change. Its spread wings elongated, its pinion feathers shrinking into thin fingers. Its body grew and uncurled into a torso and legs, the talons growing and dissolving into feet. The beak disappeared, replaced with a nose, and lips and ears appeared. The white feathers splintered into long, flaxen hair. Only the eyes remained unchanged.

Soon, the transformation was complete, and where the owl had been now stood the Goblin King. His impressive clothes were dirty and torn, and there was a large gash across his cheek, but Sarah still felt the air leave her lungs at the sight of him.

"_Sarah,_" Jareth said, notes of surprise and anger in his voice. He spun around to the goblin at his feet.

"Turnok," He said slowly, fixing his subject with a withering glare, "Would you mind telling me why my Captain of the Guard, who I instructed in short, easy to understand words to _not, under any circumstances, leave the castle,_ decided to come Aboveground and gaily frolic around with the human girl _who led a coup on my kingdom?!_"

The poor goblin had gone white as a sheet, and was trembling so violently his armor was clanking beneath his cloak.

"I-I…but it…they…"

Taking a deep breath, the gnome girl stepped forward.

"It…it was my idea, milord. The girl was the last one to see you before you went missing. Please, don't blame Turnok."

His face, which had softened as she spoke, turned angry once more when he looked back at his captain.

"_And you dragged poor Leija up here as well?!_ To take responsibility for _your_ misadventures?!"

"B-But, sire!" Turnok yelped, "She's telling the truth! This wasn't _my_ fault…!"

"_Wrong!_" Jareth snapped, seizing the goblin by the scruff of the neck and shaking him violently, "You are my Captain of the Guard! Therefore, if anything goes wrong, _you_ are the one to blame!"

'_Merciful' and 'Just' my butt_, Sarah thought to herself, watching as the goblin jiggled helplessly in the Fae's clutches.

"B-B-B-But Y-Y-Your M-M-M-M-Majest-t-t-ty!" The goblin stammered midair, "T-T-T-The T-T-T-T-Trolls a-a-are…!"

Jareth's face went white. He dropped Turnok to the ground in shock.

"_Trolls…?_" He repeated.

"_Yes_, milord!" Leija insisted, trying unsuccessfully to heave her groaning companion to his feet. "That's why we came! Turnok's men saw them! Hundreds of them! They're marching towards the kingdom!"

Jareth clenched his teeth.

"_Those conniving vultures!_"

"The Troll Lord must have heard of your absence, sire," The goblin managed, still reeling from his King's wrath, "He's already sealed off the Mirror Portals to the kingdom!"

Not bothering to look at Turnok, he shook his head.

"No, that's impossible," He murmured, "You can only close them off if you are already in the Labyrinth…"

Realizing what he had just said, Jareth's face took on a look of horror. The Goblin King whirled around, pulling his cape over Turnok and Leija.

"You two! Hold on to me!" He ordered. "Sarah! Come here!"

Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but Jareth didn't wait for an answer. He grabbed her hand and pulled her against him. The girl made another attempt to object, but found that the breath had once again left her. The Insignia Ring glowed blue on Jareth's finger, and soon they were engulfed in swirling magic. The ground fell away beneath their feet, and the familiar feeling of flying came over Sarah again.

_It's just like last time…_she thought.

Without warning, a shock of electricity shot through her. She looked over to find green sparks dancing on her arms. They were on everyone. Jareth seemed to get the brunt of the assault, and was gritting his teeth in pain.

"_He's put a barrier spell on the castle!_" He shouted over the sizzling of electricity, "_We must-!"_

Something invisible crashed into them, causing Sarah to cry out. She watched in alarm as Turnok and Leija were knocked from Jareth's side and dropped into the chasm of sparks bellow. Another magic blast hit, and ripped Sarah from the Fae's grip. She screamed as she fell, arms clawing at the air to find something to grab on to. But there was nothing there. Down, down she plummeted. The girl squeezed her eyes shut.

A hand caught her.

Her eyes flew open. Jareth had managed to grab a hold of her wrist. She found herself staring at his face. His eyes - one green, one grey –were piercing.

"_Don't let go,_" He ordered.

Sarah didn't need to be told twice. She seized his arm with her other hand and held on as tightly as possible. Suddenly, a white glow appeared at the bottom of the green sparks. The Goblin King dived towards it, pulling Sarah along with him. And soon, they were swallowed up by the bright sunlight.

**Woot! I can't believe I got another chapter done, especially since I had work today…anyway, the next chapter should be out sometime in the next few days. In the meantime, enjoy, and PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF COOKIES REVIEW!!! Suggestions, comments, and constructive criticism are treasured more than you could imagine! ^_^v**


	4. The Troll Lord

Bright sunlight streamed down, warming her face. Sarah opened her eyes and blinked. A beautiful orange and magenta tinted sky was above her, a few whips of cloud drifting lazily across it. She wasn't sure if it was sunrise or sunset. The girl sat up slowly, cautiously checking her person for any damage she might have sustained. Nothing spurted blood or had fallen off. It might have sounded a bit ridiculous to check for those sorts of things, but then again, people didn't travel to different dimensions that often. Unless they were Sarah, who seemed to own the franchise.

Sarah pulled herself to her feet and looked around. She was in what looked like an overgrown garden. Untrimmed hedges towered above her, peppered with exotic looking blossoms. The garden beds were filled with a mixture of flowers and weeds, tangled so thoroughly that it was impossible to tell which were supposed to be there. A dry fountain stood in the middle. It was shaped like a woman, but with a serpent's tail instead of the legs, and scaly, dragon-like wings outstretched over her.

_Maybe it's a mermaid_, she thought, cocking her head slightly, _An evil mermaid._ _An evil, flesh-eating anaconda mermaid. Lovely. Sure hope we don't run into one of those. _

_Speaking of "we"…_

Sarah turned, looking all around the garden. There seemed to be no one around. To her left, a bush rustled.

"Leija?" She called out, walking towards it, "Turnok? Is that you?"

The hedge rustled again, its leaves noticeably shaking.

"Jareth?" She asked, her voice a bit quieter.

The bush-or whatever was in the bush- replied by more shaking. Sarah moved closer, step by step. Was it another strange creature that called the Labyrinth its home? Or was it a troll? She didn't know what trolls looked like. Trolls could look exactly like the shrub she was approaching for all she knew.

Sarah swallowed, and tried her best to sound intimidating.

"Whoever you are, if you jump out and scare me, I'm telling you right now, you're going to end up with a nasty black eye."

The bush stopped shaking. Suddenly, a head popped out. A dog's head, to be precise.

"_Ambrosious!_" Sarah cried out in relief, crouching down beside him. "I thought you were a troll! What are you doing here? Where's Sir Didymus?"

Ambrosious gave a small, sheepish wag and tilted his head.

"You ran away, didn't you?" She sighed, petting his head, "As brave as ever, I see. But I guess you're the reason Sir Didymus has survived this long. Do you know where he is?"

He whined, and gave another halfhearted wag.

"No, huh? Oh well. I guess I was stupid to think things would be that easy."

She stood up and started walking towards the only obvious exit, glancing back at the cowardly dog-steed.

"C'mon, let's go. Jareth and I came out together, so he couldn't have gotten _that_ far."

As it happened, she was right. The Goblin King had only exited a little way from where she had, a few walls away. Her voice was carrying on the wind. Jareth lounged on a nearby boulder to wait. Since she was so close, it didn't make any sense for him to try to find her. Better to wait here, for her to come to him. Besides, he needed some time to sort himself out.

The trolls were marching on his kingdom, and Edorin was already there. Judging by the barrier spell, he was already in the castle. Jareth clenched his teeth. The Troll Lord, in _his_ castle. How could he have let this happen? It was all her fault. Yes. This whole mess was her fault. Hers. That stupid, beautiful girl. Sarah had wandered carelessly into his world, and turned the whole thing on its head. She wasn't supposed to be so smart. She wasn't supposed to be so pretty. He had counted on her to be a selfish, sniveling little wretch like the rest of them, to cower properly in his presence. But she had been different. She had _changed_. In a few hours, she had stopped sniveling, stopped cowering, and become selfless and brave. And he had fallen in love.

Then the damn girl had gone and ruined everything. He had been reduced to an animal; starving, bedraggled, helpless. Jareth had wanted to die when she saw him like that. Worse still, she had _saved_ him. Why couldn't she have been kind, and crushed his head with her dainty little foot instead of humiliating him so? On a brighter, but not unrelated, note, surviving meant that he had a chance to wring the life out of Turnok's bony neck for asking for Sarah's help in the first place. Although, if he _hadn't_ asked for her help, Jareth would never have gotten the chance to actually hold her.

Even now, his face was still hot and flushed from the experience. Which was the _other_ reason he had chosen to wait for Sarah to find him, instead of risking her noticing his red countenance.

Unexpectedly, Jareth saw something green flash out of the corner of his eye. Immediately, he was on his feet.

Not twenty feet from where he stood, a black wolf had formed out of thin air. It stared him down, as if evaluating prey. Then, it was abruptly engulfed in green sparks. When the magic had finished, Jareth found himself facing the Troll Lord. He was tall and lean, the same build as the Goblin King. But his hair was jet black and hung over half of his face, and reached the middle of his spine. His eyes were a piercing shade of blue, and rivaled the icy depths of any glacier. His face was angled sharply, his cheek bones protruding from his pale skin. Most found him unnaturally handsome, although Jareth would gladly slit his throat before agreeing with this sentiment. The Troll Lord didn't share the Goblin King's extravagant taste in clothes. He wore a long, green robe with gold trim, a single ruby pendant, and that was all.

They faced each other; Jareth, with face contorted in anger and fists clenched, the newcomer seemingly indifferent, with a posture that clearly stated he was not expecting much of a fight.

"_Edorin,_" Jareth hissed.

The raven-haired Fae regarded him coldly.

"I see that your temper has not improved."

"Oh, I'm being _polite_ right now," He replied, grinding his heel into the dirt, "Stand there much longer, and you'll see how appalling my temper can get."

"Is that so?" The Troll Lord said, "How amusing. I must admit I did not expect to see you here. The Goblin King was rumored to have vanished."

"You know what they say about _rumors_," Jareth retorted. He abandoned his defensive stance in favor of his normal posture, and attempted to keep his voice slow and even. "So tell me, _Edorin_, by what authority are you here? Or have the trolls finally given up their rules, and started invading whatever kingdom they fancy?"

Edorin's face remained emotionless.

"By the authority of my morals."

Jareth gave a bitter laugh.

"_Morals?!_ That would be a lot more convincing if you _had_ any."

"Do not assume that I do not have principles, just because I do not choose to express them as colorfully as you do," He replied coldly, "And they demanded that I intervene."

"How thoughtful of you," Jareth said sarcastically, "Remind me to send you a fruit basket. Now, please get the hell out of my kingdom, if you'd be so kind."

Edorin ignored him, choosing instead to gaze around the small alley in which they were standing.

"How tragic, that you have allowed the Labyrinth to fall into such disrepair. And not just the Labyrinth. The entire Western Realm is on the brink of pandemonium. It's disgraceful."

Jareth felt the hair on the back of his neck prick. The urge to attack was so overwhelming that he had to dig his nails into his own flesh just to contain it. Edorin picked a dry leaf from a sprig of dead ivy on the wall, considered it, and let it float off his palm on the breeze. The raven-haired Fae once again met the Goblin King's seething glare with his icy stare.

"You have always been an atrocious ruler, Jareth. Your selfishness, your vanity. But even I did not fathom that you would fall so low."

Jareth's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?"

"_Your infatuation with a human girl,_" Edorin said icily, disgust filling his voice, "Don't think I don't know. I saw it for myself. To have offered yourself to a mortal…it is nothing short of _unspeakable._"

"_That's none of your concern!_" The blond-haired Fae shouted, reeling. The reminder of her refusal was like salt water on a fresh wound.

"Oh, how very wrong you are," The Troll Lord said, his abnormally blue eyes flickering dangerously, "I have turned a blind eye to the irresponsibility of the goblins for far too long. But no more. I will purge this realm of the chaos you have caused, even if I must cut down every last goblin to do so."

"_Over my dead body, you self-righteous bastard!_" Jareth cried indignantly, thrusting his right hand skyward. Spires of crystal split the ground open, seeking to impale their summoner's foe on their tips. But he was no longer there.

"I prefer it that way," a cold voice answered in his ear, "In fact, my conscience demands nothing less. By the way…_aren't you left handed?_"

Before Jareth could turn all the way around, Edorin had seized his left arm, wrenched it up, and squeezed. The already-fractured bone snapped in two with a nauseating crunch. Jareth screamed.

The corners of his lips twitched upward.

"I _thought_ so."

Edorin released his arm and watched with sadistic enjoyment as the Goblin King fell to his knees in agony. He stared down at the fallen Fae, his cruel blue eyes boring into him.

"How disappointing," He murmured.

"_Jareth!_"

Both looked towards where the voice had come from. Sarah was sprinting down the alleyway, a white dog at her heels. She had just rounded the corner when she had heard his cry.

"So that is the human girl who has been a thorn in your side," Edorin said, conjuring a ball of green electricity in his hand, "_Allow me to remove her for you._"

Seeing him face her, wielding the magic orb, Sarah screeched to a halt. Her eyes were filled with fear. The Troll Lord raised it above his head, preparing to cast his spell. But before he could, another crystal shot out of the ground. Edorin saw it at the last moment and turned, so instead of piercing his chest like intended, it instead stabbed his shoulder. The Troll Lord hissed in pain, jerking himself from the glittering spear, and putting a hand to the bleeding gash. In seconds, he had transformed back into a black wolf, and then disappeared in a shower of sparks.

"_It seems you are not as weak as I thought_," Edorin's disembodied voice echoed in the alley, "_Let's see how well you fare against your own Labyrinth when you aren't the one controlling it…"_

**DUN-DUN-DUUUUUUN! Sorry to end this chapter so suddenly, but it's getting late, and I need my beauty sleep. Bah, who am I kidding?! I'm going to go watch Saiyuki episodes on Netflix…I'm such a hopeless anime addict…T_T**

**I decided to make Jareth left-handed since, in real life, David Bowie is left-handed. Plus, being left-handed is cool…(I'm just a run-of-the mill right-hander). Anyhoozle, you can expect the next chapter to be out within a few days because I have my lovely little outline! *fanfare sounds* A special thanks to everyone who has reviewed my humble little fanfic so far. Your reviews are what motivates me to keep writing! I guarantee the more reviews I get, the faster I'll crank out the next chapter, because I'm so concerned about upsetting people (sad, but true). And remember, REVIEWS ARE WHAT KEEPS JARETH FROM TOSSING ME INTO THE BOG OF ETERNAL STENCH! He's already ticked off about me breaking his arm… _ save me!**


	5. The Three Headed Gargoyle

No sooner had the voice faded in the wind then Sarah dashed the rest of the way to Jareth's side. He was on the ground, cradling his left arm, his face twisted up in pain.

"Jareth, are you alright?" She asked anxiously, kneeling beside him.

"_Do I look like I'm alright?_!" He snapped, gritting his teeth, "Do I really? Hmmm? Like everything's cupcakes and roses?! My kingdom's under attack, my arm is broken, and I was just forced _to save the girl who stole my powers!_"

She winced at his tone, unprepared for his fury. The concern on her face evaporated.

"I didn't steal _anything!_" Sarah retaliated defensively, thinking of the Insignia Ring, "Leija gave it to me to let me use it! And I gave it right back, didn't I?!"

"_I'm not talking about the ring!_" Jareth hissed. But before he could accuse the minx any further, he became aware of the hurt, confused look on her face, and he realized that she had no idea what he was talking about. His voice quieted. "I'm not talking about the ring. I'm talking about my magic."

"Your magic?" Sarah repeated, "I don't get it. Leija said that you had sealed your magic _into_ the ring."

"No, I sealed _some of it_ into the ring," He corrected. The Goblin King grimaced in pain, and gazed down at the golden owl on his finger. "The reason I didn't return to the Underground…the reason I couldn't change back to my true form…is because my powers have been stolen."

Sarah's voice faltered.

"_Stolen?_ But, how? Who stole them?!"

"Up until now, I had assumed it was you," Jareth admitted, "And that perhaps that eloquent little speech you had given me was some kind of curse. But now, I'm beginning to think that Edorin planned this all along."

"Edorin? The Troll Lord?" Sarah asked, remembering, "That man you were fighting with before…that was him, wasn't it?"

"Figured that all out on your own, did you?" The Goblin King replied dryly, steadying himself against the stone wall as he stood, "Yes, the bloody git who broke my arm and tried to fry you crispy was, indeed, the Troll Lord. I'll think up a reasonable "thank-you for saving my life" speech for you to present to me later."

"But how did you do that?" Sarah asked, following after him, "You don't have any…!"

Jareth pointed towards the Insignia Ring.

"I've been using what I sealed into my ring. But there isn't enough to last very long. I'll have to conserve what little magic is left for emergencies. Which reminds me…"

He glanced back at her.

"If you could _try_ and keep yourself out of mortal peril, I'd appreciate it."

"You're the one with the broken arm," Sarah said accusingly, and walked in front of the Goblin King. "Here, let me see."

Jareth hastily stepped back, still cradling his throbbing arm in his good one.

"There's no need for you to check. Edorin made sure he did a thorough, if not _excessive_, job."

"I believe you," Sarah replied, putting her hands on her hips, "But you can't go walking around the Labyrinth like that."

The Fae stiffened defensively.

"And why not?"

"Because some time or another, you're going to need your other arm," She said, slipping off her raincoat. She put a hand out gently. "Give me your arm. I'll fix it up."

"_With that?_" He asked incredulously, eyeing the synthetic blue fabric with mild horror, "Certainly not! I'll look absolutely _ridiculous!_"

"Not any more so than usual!" Sarah retorted, which earned her one of the Goblin King's signature glares. She sighed, and tried again, with a softer tone, "I know how much it must hurt, but this will help. I'll be careful. I promise."

Jareth hesitated, but grudgingly let her come closer. As Sarah slipped the raincoat beneath his arm, she noticed that he was rather warm. He smelled really good, too. It wasn't the cologne he had worn in her ballroom dream, but something different. Like fresh-cut pine and sprigs of rosemary. If any of the guys at her school smelled _half_ as good as he did, she'd go to Prom with them in a heartbeat.

Not liking where her train of thought was heading, she quickly snapped herself out of it, and went to tie the raincoat sleeves at the back of his neck. However, that put her in the awkward position of being millimeters away from touching him. The air threatened to evacuate her lungs again, so Sarah squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as she finished the knot.

"There. Done!" Sarah announced, quickly pulling away, using her long hair to hide the little bit of blush that had crept into her cheeks, "How does it feel?"

Jareth had taken a sudden interest in a hole in the Labyrinth wall and didn't turn to face her. _Still sulking, probably_, she thought.

"Better," He admitted. After a few moments, he took notice of Ambrosious, who was cowering behind Sarah's ankles.

"Doesn't that dog belong to that annoying little fox-thing you call a friend?"

"His name is Sir Didymus," Sarah replied protectively, "And yes, Ambrosious does belong to him. I thought he could help me find him, or Ludo and Hoggle. Maybe Turnok and Leija, too."

"You're expecting an awful lot from that pooch," Jareth said doubtfully, "Your friends could be anywhere, and there's no telling where my servants may have landed. But in any case…"

He jabbed a finger towards the right wall.

"We need to head east, towards the Sacred Pool."

The girl blinked.

"East? But I thought you said Edorin had gotten to the castle…"

"He has," Jareth replied, choking on the words, "But I won't be any match against him like this. That's why we're going to the Sacred Pool. It's one of the most magical places in the Labyrinth, and that's where the Muse dwells."

"The Muse?" Sarah asked.

"An ancient and wise water nymph," He said, glancing behind to make sure that the girl was following him closely, "She has lived there since the Labyrinth was first built, millennia ago. My ancestors often went to her for guidance. I've never been to see her myself, but if anyone can restore my powers, it would be her."

Sarah stayed silent. She had oodles of unanswered questions, but she knew that the Goblin King's patience was famously thin, and was afraid of sounding – well – stupid. For a long time, they walked in silence, weaving in and out of the many pathways, the only noise coming from their footsteps and Ambrosious's occasional whimper.

They came to an arched entryway. Inside, was a round cobblestoned area with a statue of a three-headed gargoyle, and three different doorways. Sarah gave a small, muffled yelp when the statue turned around, its stone heads craning down to get a better look at them.

"Good morning," The first head greeted cheerfully.

"Good evening," The second said.

"'Afternoon," said the third.

"Y-You…you're alive!" Sarah gasped, looking at the living statue in wonder.

"We sure are!" The first replied.

"No, we're not," The second head disagreed.

"Well, kind of," the third said.

"You can't really make up your mind, can you?" Sarah asked, relaxing.

"No, not really," the first head sighed sadly.

"Don't be silly!" The second head chided the first, "Of course we can!"

"Not all the time," the third admitted.

Sarah turned to Jareth, and quickly saw that his expression had changed. He was standing rigidly, his brow furrowed in frustration.

"There aren't supposed to be three doors here."

The first head on the gargoyle nodded.

"Yes, there only used to be one."

"Poppycock, Hubert!" the second head sniffed, "There have always been three!"

"Reginald?" The first head asked, looking to the third, "Was there always three, or only one?"

The third head thought a bit, before replying sheepishly,

"I'm sorry, but I don't really recall."

Sensing that the gargoyle wasn't going to be much help, Sarah cast a worried glance at Jareth.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Jareth replied, anger building in his voice, "I've gone past this idiotic statue a dozen times before! There's only supposed to be _one_ door here! _He's changed it!_"

The first head, who seemed to be called Hubert, smiled smugly at the second head.

"See? I told you, Theodore! There was only one door!"

"No one likes a know-it-all!" Theodore sulked.

"But…"The girl said, looking towards the three doorways, "Isn't the Labyrinth always changing? How do you know it didn't just…"

"The _whole_ Labyrinth doesn't change!" Jareth interrupted, raising his voice, "Only parts of it do! How on earth do you think that anyone could ever get through?! And this part is _not _supposed to change!"

Sarah remembered the echoing words in the alleyway. _Let's see how well you fare against your own Labyrinth when you aren't the one controlling it…_

"So that's what he meant," She murmured.

Jareth stomped up to the gargoyle statue, making all three heads swivel around to face him.

"You three!" He barked, "Tell me which door has always been here! _Now!_"

Hubert, Theodore, and Reginald flinched, looking at one another worriedly.

"Well…" Hubert began slowly, "I seem to recall it being the door on the far left."

Theodore raised a stone eyebrow.

"Really? I thought for sure it was the door on the _right_ side, Hubert."

"Reginald!" The first head called out, both turning to him, "We need a ruling."

"I think it was the middle one," Reginald said.

The two other heads looked at him.

"I could be wrong!" He said defensively.

Jareth leaned forward until his face was inches from theirs, his eyes gleaming violently.

"Listen to me, you thick-headed lawn ornament," he said in a low voice, "I just had the misfortune of having my arm snapped in two, and it is _excruciating_. So right now, I'm trying to picture how you might feel if I decided to blast part of your anatomy off, and I have to tell you, I think seeing you screaming in misery would make my day. So unless you reach a mutual agreement in the next five seconds, _I_ am going to be much happier, and _you_ are going to be missing some crucial parts. _Five…_"

"B-But…you can't!" Hubert cried out.

"We're just innocent bystanders!" The third head insisted.

"_Four…_"

They quickly abandoned their current tactic, and faced each other, eyes wide with horror.

"The left one?! You're sure it's the left one, Hubert?!"

"I don't know anymore!" The first head wailed, "I thought it was, but now, that sounds wrong!"

"_Three…_"

"How about the right door?! You said it was the _right_ door, Theodore!"

"I know what I said, but you said it was the _left _one! I'm so _confused!_"

"_Two…_"

"_Right or left?!_" Theodore squealed.

"_Left or right?!_" Hubert shrieked.

"_I still think it's the middle one!_" Reginald screamed.

"_One…_"

The three heads whirled about to face the looming Goblin King, screeching in unison,

"_The middle onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne!_"

A wide, smug grin spread over Jareth's face.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" He asked, patting Theodore's stone head demeaningly. With that, he strode gracefully past the statue and through the middle door.

The gargoyle heads watched him go, slack-jawed. Sarah walked up to them.

"I'm so sorry about him," she apologized, "Sometimes he's just…just…"

"Come, Sarah," Jareth's voice commanded, "Dawdle too long and I'll be forced to leave you and the mutt behind."

"…_infuriating," _She finished, clenching her fists. She stomped after the Goblin King, Ambrosious following behind timidly. The heads continued to stare at the middle door until all three of them disappeared from view.

"Exactly the word I was looking for," Hubert finally managed.

"Yes!" Theodore spat, glowering at the doorway, "Spot on!"

"_Precisely!_" Reginald agreed angrily.

**Wow! I managed to get this one done in a day! Sure hope I'm not raising the bar too high for myself…*sweats* Anyways, thank you so, so much for the overwhelming response! I'm touched so many of you took time out of your busy lives to write up reviews! I'M NOT WORRRRRTHY! **

**But I do have work tomorrow, so you'll have to wait a few more days to see what happens next. I'm planning on some of the other characters turning up in the next chapter, but I'm not gonna say who…**

**Also, expect a few minor characters from the movie to show up later on as well, because it wouldn't be any fun if all I wrote about were my own made-up ones. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT AND YOUR LOVELY, LOVELY REVIEWS! **


	6. Fierys

Leaving behind the disgraced gargoyle heads, they continued down the hallways, Jareth with an added spring in his step, and Sarah seething silently at him. Ambrosious was indifferent; he trotted along quietly, ears back, just waiting for something bad to happen. After several more turns, they arrived at a small grotto with a flight of stairs leading upwards, and a door to the right.

"Where do we go?" Sarah asked, "Keep to the path, or up?"

"Neither," Jareth replied.

"_Neither?_" She repeated.

"Neither."

And with that, he leaned against the wall, crossing his legs. Sarah stared at him quizzically, but his smug expression made it clear he had no intention of further explaining himself. So she plopped down on the stairs, a determined look set on her face.

They looked at each other for a good ten minutes, before Jareth, whose arrogance had worn off a touch, spoke up.

"Aren't you going to ask me why?"

"No," Sarah replied simply.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because you want me to. You want to tell me, but you aren't going to, not until I ask. But I'm not going to ask. I'm not going to let you have that satisfaction."

Jareth frowned.

"Your stubbornness is a most unbecoming quality, my dear Sarah. You were much more fetching when you were cowering in fear when I came to collect your brother."

Sarah, who had worn a sulky expression prior to this statement, now took on a frightening look.

"_Of course_ I was cowering in fear!" She replied angrily, "You threw a _snake_ on me! Have someone toss something poisonous with big fangs on you and see what you do!"

"It wasn't poisonous," The Goblin King corrected, sounding a tad hurt, "Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't throw a _poisonous_ snake on a young girl."

"Oh, but sending her through a maze of death is fine and dandy, huh?" Sarah shot back, crossing her arms.

Jareth quit his resting position and stood up to glare down at her.

"That was _your _choice. I tried to persuade you to turn back, but you wouldn't listen. Do not forget, it was _you_ who summoned _me_."

"I didn't mean to!" Sarah exclaimed, standing up to face him directly, "I never thought it would actually work!"

"Hmph!" Jareth sneered, "So like a human. Always speaking before thinking."

Sarah's face turned red, her hands balling into fists. She was about to tell Jareth, in most unladylike language, exactly where he could go and what he could do, when a sudden sharp tremor stole her attention. Soon, she found herself standing on level ground, as the staircase had sunken into the walkway, and revealed a new door.

"There," Jareth said, looking back at her, "You see? Patience is a virtue, one that you obviously do not possess. You're welcome to ask me which door is the right one again, and because I'm so generous, I might even tell you. _If_ you are willing to apologize for your inexcusable behavior."

Sarah instead chose to shoot him with a glare so venomous that it made Ambrosious yip and cover his head with his paws, and Jareth feel the hair on the back of his neck prick up. Her glare wasn't one that simply said, "_Drop dead_"; no, it could only be taken to mean, "_I hope you choke to death on your own intestines_", or "_I wish it were physically possible to tear out your skull and beat you to death with it_". Sarah then marched into the new doorway resentfully, leaving the Goblin King and Ambrosious behind.

The dog hesitantly uncovered his head. Seeing that she was gone, he gazed up at Jareth and whined.

"Don't you look at _me_ like that," the Fae said, "How was I supposed to know she would get that way?"

Ambrosious whimpered again, tucking his tail between his legs.

"Now you're just being stupid," Jareth replied as he stepped into the doorway, the dog following behind, "Besides, if she murders _anyone_ tonight, it will be me."

Meanwhile, in a thick patch of forest not far away, Hoggle was finding himself in a difficult situation as well. When he had seen the army of trolls approaching, he had, against his better judgment, ducked into the Labyrinth to go and warn the Goblin City. But half-way through, he had spotted a troll sentinel on patrol, and realized that Edorin must have led a group of his elite to take the Castle. Now, with the troll army on the outside, and Edorin on the inside, Hoggle was stuck in the Labyrinth, one of his least favorite places. And without the Mirror Portals, he couldn't tell Sarah what was going on. So the dwarf did the only thing he could do: he hid. Until he became painfully aware that neither Ludo or Sir Didymus had the common sense to follow his lead, that is. Grumbling about their stupidity, grabbing a garden hoe to defend himself, and (for one of the few times in his life) summoning his courage, Hoggle went back out into the Labyrinth to find the two courageous morons that Sarah called her friends.

He wasn't having much luck; besides the troll, he had only run into two terrified goblins and a lopsided bush that looked sort of like Ludo.

"Just my luck," Hoggle grumbled, heaving his hoe back on his shoulder, "The trolls invade, and I gotta be the one ta go out into the thick of it. This is all Jareth's fault, this is! Goblin King! _Ha!_"

He trudged on, cursing under his breath, until he heard a strange noise coming his right. Hoggle stopped, readying his makeshift weapon. It sounded like someone yelling. He hurriedly pulled aside a few thick branches and looked in.

A group of shaggy red creatures were dancing around a goblin, who was hopelessly tangled in the branches of a gnarled tree. A small, cloaked figure was trying unsuccessfully to shoo them away.

"Aaaaye!" One of them said, plucking off his head and hoisting it up to eye level with the goblin, "What 'cha doin' up there, bro? That don't look no fun!"

"No fun at 'taaal!" Another agreed, "Why don't cha get down?"

"What do you think I'm trying to do?!" The goblin yelled angrily, twisting around, trying to pull his cape off the tree branch.

"You goin' about dat all wrong, bro! Pull off ya arms, den ya feet!"

"Take yourself apart, den put yourself back togedder on da ground!"

"Here, we'll show ya!"

The first one reattached his head, and pulled off his right arm, lifting it up and grabbing a hold of the goblin's leg. It yanked hard, caushing the goblin to cry out.

"Stop!" a female voice cried out, the hooded one trying to block off access to the tree, "Stop it! You're hurting him!"

One of the red creature stooped down to examine their newest find.

"It's a girlie!" He announced eagerly. The others crouched down beside him.

"Aaye, he's right! It is a girlie!"

"A girlie wit a pretty head!"

"Hey, girlie!" One creature chimed, his head turning upside down, "Can I try on ya pretty head? I always wanted ta see what I looked like as a blond!"

"Me next, me next, blond girlie!"

The small figure pressed her back against the tree.

"Leave Leija alone!" The goblin shouted, thrashing violently against the tree, "You lay a finger on her and I'll see to it that…!"

But the red things paid no attention. Two of them seized her by her arms while a third tried to pull off her head. She screamed.

Without realizing what he was doing, Hoggle charged into the clearing. With a calculated swing of his hoe, all five of the creature's noggins came off without much resistance.

"Aaaaaye!" One of the heads exclaimed, rolling in a circle, "I think I lost me head again!"

"Mine too, bro!"

"Me body's gone!"

One of the heads gave a shrill whistle. The bodies turned towards them.

"Oye! Over here, over here!"

The shaggy red bodies dropped the cloaked figure and hurried over to fumble for their heads. Seeing her fall, Hoggle dropped the hoe just in time for him to catch her. Her hood fell back, and soon, he found himself nose to nose with a beautiful, blond-haired gnome. Having pretty girls drop into his arms was a new experience for Hoggle, and the shock proved a bit too much for his system. So he accidentally dropped her onto the ground.

"_Ah!_" Hoggle croaked in surprise, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean ta! Ye ain't hurt, are ye?"

The gnome rubbed her cheeks, most likely to check if they were still there. Seeing that they were, she stood up and gave a small bow.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine! Thank you so much!" She said gratefully, "You saved me and Turnok from those awful creatures!"

"I…I did?" Hoggle asked, glancing over to where the creatures' poor bodies were trying unsuccessfully to locate their craniums, "I mean, I did!"

"Have you happened to see His Majesty the king, or a human girl with brown hair?" Leija asked, "We were traveling with them, but got separated on the way…"

Hoggle blinked.

"…king? Human girl?"

Something clicked.

"_Sarah?!_ Ye mean she's here, in the Labyrinth?!"

"Yes!" The gnome said, "She should be with our Lord. We must find them, before the rest of the trolls reach the Labyrinth. Please, will you help us?"

Hoggle swallowed.

"I……I-I….uh…."

She looked at him pleadingly. Her green eyes were mesmerizing. They shimmered and glittered in the light, like…like…._plastic._

"…a'course I will!" He finally managed.

Leija smiled warmly.

"Oh, thank you!"

"It's nothing'," Hoggle said, picking up his hoe, "I can't let ye wander about the Labyrinth by yerself, can I?"

"She's not by herself, you stupid dwarf! _She's with me!_" A voice howled.

The two of them looked up. An infuriated goblin swung on the branches above them.

"That's my friend, Turnok," Leija admitted, "Do you think you could help him?"

"I dunno if I can," Hoggle lied, casting a resentful eye upwards, "It's awful high up. Maybe we should jus leave him there a'while."

Leija gave him a beseeching look.

"Oh, _alright_," The dwarf mumbled.

**I'm really sorry for how long this chapter took! Our family's been going through some difficult issues this week, but they've been mostly resolved, so I had enough time to finish this chapter! YAY FOR MOCHAS AND CHOCOLATE-COVERED ESPRESSO BEANS! **

**Thank you so, so, soooo much for your reviews! I tried to answer all of them, but I might not have…if I didn't answer yours, I'm really sorry! My next chapter should be out in half the time this one took (as long as doom doesn't rain from the sky again). It will have more Jareth/Sarah, another new character, revelations, and more Troll Lord deviousness! But tonight, my tank's running on just about empty, so I'm gonna crash in a few minutes…..*passes out on her laptop and drools; Jareth proceeds to poke her with a stick***


	7. The Muse

**Hello, dear sweet readers! I told you I'd get this one done in less time! Although, since I will be leaving shortly to spend Christmas with my relatives in another state, it may be a while before my next post. But if all you have to do to keep yourself occupied is read fanfiction on Christmas Eve, I'm very worried about your priorities anyway ;) Enjoy, and as always, comments are met with much gladness and fanfare! Plus, Jareth told me he'd burn down my Christmas Tree if you didn't review…WAAAAH! SAVE CHRISTMAS AND REVIEW!**

The sun had finally sunken bellow the horizon, and had taken the daylight with it. All that remained was a dim orange glow, and even that was fast diminishing. It had been difficult enough to run the Labyrinth during the day; Sarah did not fancy trying it at night. So she adjusted her resolute march into a dignified jog. Until she reached a wall with two different doors.

Sarah took a deep breath and exhaled in annoyance. Great. Now she had to wait for _him_. She could always guess, and risk falling down an oubliette. But Sarah reasoned waiting for him to show her which door was right was much less demeaning than him having to pull her out of a hole. Instead of simply waiting for the Goblin King and Ambrosious, she busied herself looking through both doorways, seeing which was more likely to direct her to a long fall. One lead to another stone passageway; the other door opened into a wide, misty grove. Sarah heard footsteps behind her and looked back. Jareth stood beside her.

"There it is," He murmured, pointing towards the right door, "The Sacred Pool."

"Alright, then let's go," The girl replied, walking through the archway and into the hollow. But after a few minutes, she noticed that only Ambrosious had followed her. Sarah paused and looked back. Jareth was still standing at the doorway, a look of unease plaguing his face.

She was still angry at him, but she wasn't used to seeing the Fae anxious. It made her feel uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, trying her best to keep sounding annoyed.

"I…." Jareth said quietly, avoiding her eyes, "I've never visited the Sacred Pool before. It's the oldest place in the Labyrinth, and the Muse…well, I'm not sure what to expect."

The girl's face softened slightly. She quickly spun around before he noticed.

"Well…we'll find out together, then," she said simply. She walked on ahead, shooting a quick peek over her shoulder. Apparently her words had soothed him, because he now was following behind her, although without the arrogant expression he usually wore. The cracked stone path wound lazily through the hazy grove, with large stepping-stones over the many babbling brooks.

_It's so peaceful here, _Sarah thought in amazement, _No monsters, no dead ends, no puzzles…it's like it isn't part of the Labyrinth at all._

As they went farther and farther, the streams grew larger and more frequent, until it seemed less like they were crossing over creeks, and more like they were traveling over small islands. Finally, they reached a large boulder with a doorway carved into it. Rune symbols were inscribed around the door, and glowed pale blue. Sarah looked up at Jareth.

"Can you read those?" She asked, motioning to the symbols.

Jareth nodded.

"It says, 'All who seek guidance will be welcome'. This _must_ be where she dwells."

"So what do we do now?" Sarah asked.

Seemingly in answer to her question, a creature appeared at the doorway. It was tall and thin, its face veiled in shadows; it wore a many-layered cloak of navy blue, that covered it so that it was impossible to know exactly what was underneath it, or if anything was underneath it at all.

"_Enter, Jareth, son of Narzan, King of the Goblins,_" He whispered, his breathy voice sounding like it formed from the very air itself.

Sarah swallowed. The thing looked too much like the grim reaper for her comfort. Jareth turned to her.

"Stay here," he instructed quietly. But the tone he said it in was soft, like someone cautioning a friend rather than a ruler giving an order. He gave one last look at Sarah, and followed the shrouded specter inside.

Minutes passed. Sarah soon found herself pacing. There were too many things she didn't know, so many, many things. How had Edorin managed to seize Jareth's powers? How close was the troll army to the Labyrinth? Where were her friends? Were they safe? How much had Edorin changed in the Labyrinth? What had become of the castle and the Goblin City? Would the Muse be able to restore Jareth's powers? What would happen if she couldn't?

She hated not knowing. It made her feel weak and stupid. It made her feel like…a child.

All her uncertainties flooded into her mind, making her stomach churn. Sarah gave up pacing and sat down on a nearby rock. She did her best to try to not think about it. Worrying wouldn't do her any good, anyways. It only served to make her nauseous. So the girl closed her eyes, and tried to focus on the soothing sound of the waterfalls.

"_Sarah!_"

Her eyes flew open. She whirled around towards the familiar voice. A small, dirt-streaked dwarf wielding a garden hoe was running towards her, followed by a gnome girl and armored goblin.

"Hoggle!" She cried out. In a flash, she had sprinted the few steps between them, knelt down, and hugged the dwarf tightly. Hoggle seemed quite surprised, but eventually returned the embrace. Sarah let go and beamed in turn at each of them.

"Leija! Turnok! I'm so glad you guys are alright! I'd thought we'd lost you!"

The gnome smiled shyly.

"We thought that too, milady. We're glad that you are safe."

"Is His Highness alright?" Turnok asked anxiously, gripping his sheathed dagger.

"Well…" Sarah thought aloud, remembering Jareth's badly broken arm, "…mostly."

Turnok raised his non-existent eyebrows.

"_Mostly?!_"

"Guess you'll see later," The girl said, before turning back to Hoggle, "Where are Ludo and Sir Didymus? Do you know?"

"I don't," Hoggle replied, "I was lookin' for 'em, though, but then I ran into Leija, and she said ye had come back to the Labyrinth. She knew where ye were gonna be and everything!"

"You blasted dwarf!" Turnok interrupted angrily, "_I_ was the one who knew the King would seek the counsel of the Muse!"

Hoggle cast an uncaring glance at him.

"Well, Leija said it better. An' I ain't deaf. Keep shoutin' at me an' I'll put you back up the tree I found ye in."

"_Why you brazen…!_"

"Turnok, please!" Leija begged, taking an arm to hold him back, "Hoggle saved us! We owe him our lives!"

"Hoggle saved you?" Sarah asked, blinking.

"Oh, yes!" the gnome girl said eagerly, "He came to our aid and rescued us from a group of monsters! We would have surely perished, had it not been for his bravery!"

Sarah pointed at the dwarf beside her.

"_This_ Hoggle? Are you sure you mean _him?_"

"A'course she means _me!_" Hoggle exclaimed, blushing and swatting away her hand, "Is it so hard ta believe some 'on like me could change?!"

"Yes," she said immediately, which earned her a glare. She backpedaled. "I mean, no. Um…maybe?"

Before Hoggle could erupt into a bright, blazing ball of embarrassment, Jareth reappeared at the door carved into the stone. Sarah hurried over to investigate.

"So? What's the news?" She pressed. But her questions faded at the sight of his expression. His face was pale and downcast. He quickly tried to hide it, to look normal, but Sarah had already seen. It had been bad news.

"Jareth?" She asked quietly, "What did she say?"

"She…" He started, but hesitated. The Goblin King looked up at her, his mismatched eyes churning with emotional turmoil. "…she wants to speak with _you._"

Sarah froze. Her heart fell into her stomach with a nauseating splash. After a few moments, she managed to sputter out a reply.

"_M-Me?_ Why would she want to see _me?_ I mean…I don't…I didn't…I can't…!"

Without a sound, the mysterious blue-clad wraith appeared a few feet away.

"_Enter Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth._"

The girl looked back at Hoggle, Leija, Turnok, and Ambrosious, and glanced helplessly at Jareth. He had on the confident, determined look he usually wore. But his eyes betrayed his emotions.

"Go," he said softly.

Sarah hesitated, but did as she was told. She walked up to the hooded specter. He gazed down at her with his dark void of a face. It was terrifying. She swallowed, and spoke up.

"I'm ready."

He nodded, and glided through the doorway, with the girl following meekly behind him. He led her down to the water side. Two small waterfalls poured down from the cliff above. In between them was a small island with an old weeping willow, which was bent so low its leafy tendrils formed a sort of veil. The specter showed her to a path of stepping stones, and abruptly vanished. Sarah gathered her courage, slowly crossed to the other side, and brushed the vines aside.

A beautiful, luminescent creature was sitting beside a still pool. Her skin was pale blue and flawless, her eyes as deep and dark as the ocean. The nymph's hair was actually water, streams that constantly split and reformed. Her perfect body was clothed in a length of the same wispy fabric that the specter had worn. She held a long, crooked staff in her hand, which she was using to gently move the lily pads across the pool.

Sarah had been expecting some shriveled old lady, not this unearthly beauty. She was _gorgeous_. No wonder Jareth had stumbled out looking so god-stuck.

The nymph gazed up at her and smiled gently.

"Do not fear, child. Come to the water's edge."

Sarah walked over to her awkwardly, trying to maneuver her jelly-like legs. The nymph was even more striking up close. It was just like all her fairytales and storybooks had said.

"Y-You…" she said, "Um…how did you know my name?"

"Many in the Labyrinth know your name," the nymph replied, nudging a lily pad to the other side of the pond, "Never before has a human completed it within the allotted time; most think you are a sorceress. The goblins believe you used your magic to cheat, and are comforted that the Labyrinth's record remains intact."

"I didn't cheat," Sarah said immediately.

The Muse smiled.

"I know you didn't, child. Nor are you an enchantress. And that is what makes you so important."

"Important?"

"We who dwell in the Labyrinth have relied heavily upon its magic to protect and sustain us," she explained, "Too heavily, I fear. And now that a threat has emerged, we find ourselves weak, and unable to remember the ways of our ancestors."

Sarah was quiet a few moments, before saying,

"But…Jareth's back now. He'll be able to stop Edorin. Won't he?"

The Muse gazed back down at her pool, and stired it once with her staff. The lily pads swirled slowly around. Sarah realized that she was using them to divine the future, like a crystal ball or magic stones. The nymph watched until they had come to rest.

"Edorin is both ruthless and determined. In his heart, he truly believes what he is doing is right. That is what makes him such a powerful foe. Magic comes from the heart, and a strong heart is a dangerous thing, indeed. That is what gives him a decided advantage over Jareth."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.

"Jareth's heart has been broken," the Muse responded, "His confidence has shattered. He is at war with himself; confused, angry. Hurt. Like any wound, it needs delicate care. Above all, his heart needs time to heal…time that he does not have."

The nymph set her staff aside. Her face grim, she starred into Sarah's eyes.

"What little magic Jareth has left in the ring cannot sustain him for long. Once that runs out, he will grow weaker by the minute. If Edorin is not defeated, and his powers returned within that hour…_Jareth will die._"


	8. Quiet Revelations

It took several minutes for Sarah to recover from her shock. She swallowed, and whispered hoarsely, "_W-What? _B-But…but can't you…?!"

The nymph shook her head sadly.

"There is little I can do, child. My talent lies in foresight. Casting spells – and breaking them – is beyond my power."

Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but finding no words, closed it again. If his powers weren't returned, Jareth would die? She felt nauseous. It was true, she didn't always have benevolent feelings for him, but she had never, ever wanted him hurt. And now, now that his death was a possibility, Sarah realized that she must care about him a little more than she had thought, because she was terrified.

"What do we do?" She asked bleakly.

The Muse gazed once again into her pool, rearranging the lily pads with her crooked staff.

"Make your way to the center of the Labyrinth, to the castle. Edorin will be there for certain. He will not back down from a challenge. Once he is defeated, a way to return Jareth's powers should present itself."

She gave a sympathetic smile, raising her staff to point behind Sarah.

"Go now, child. Rest here with your friends, until your weariness subsides. Then make haste to the castle. Be wary. And remember that you _must_ not fail…or the Labyrinth is doomed."

As Sarah climbed back through the stone gate, she heard Leija's voice.

"Mi'lady!"

She looked over to see Leija and Hoggle waiting for her.

"Ye okay?" The dwarf asked anxiously, "Ye look like someone died."

Sarah shivered compulsively at the word '_died'_, but shook her head.

"No…no, I'm fine. Just tired, that's all," She lied.

"Ah!" Hoggle said, apparently believing her, "Well, we is, too. Looks like we might have a bit a' time to sit down, 'till Burnrock…"

"Turnok," Leija reminded him gently.

"Oh, yeah," he said, pretending to be absent-minded, "Until Turnok gets back."

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"Where'd he go?"

"Turnok was worried about His Highness," the gnome girl replied, "Milord said he was just tired, too, but…he was acting so strange…"

She sighed.

"I'm worried, Mi'lady. It isn't like His Highness to go off by himself."

Sarah was about to lie, to tell her that she was sure he was just fine, when Turnok reappeared. He had a noticible limp, and was rubbing his jaw.

"Oh _dear!_" Leija said, putting a hand to her mouth, "What happened?"

"His Majesty the King assured me he is fine," Turnok announced less-than-convincingly, "He has decided that we should rest here a few hours, and then head towards the castle."

"Uh…well, that's fine…" Sarah said slowly, "But what happened to _you?_"

The goblin winced at her question, but nonetheless answered.

"I…I mistakenly asked why he was wearing that human girl's hideous coat 'round his arm. It was wrong of me. Entirely out of my place. So His Highness gave me an etiquette lesson."

Hoggle snorted.

"Looks more like he introduced yer face to his royal boot. A'course, it's hard to tell with _yer_ face."

Turnok went red as a beet, and made a grab for his dagger. Leija kindly grabbed a hold of him before he could stab the dwarf, and spent the next several minutes persuading him not to murder anyone.

Later that night, Sarah sat by the fire, distractedly staring into the dancing flame. It really was a scrawny little fire; Hoggle had insisted on making it when a certain gnome girl observed a chill in the air. The dwarf himself was sprawled out a little ways away, snoring loudly. Sarah heard soft footsteps beside her and turned to find Leija sitting next to her.

"How's Turnok?" Sarah asked, casting an eye at the sleeping goblin.

"Oh, very good!" Leija said cheerfully, "His jaw didn't break this time, and you can hardly see the bruises!"

Sarah couldn't help but sigh. It looked like the Goblin King was treating his servants as well as ever.

Leija must have surmised the reason for the sigh, because she bit her lip guiltily, somehow feeling that Sarah's unflattering view of Jareth was her fault. After a few moments, she spoke up quietly.

"I pray you don't think ill of His Highness. I know he may come across as a bit…"

"Selfish?" Sarah offered, "Childish? Arrogant?"

"…but he really does have a noble heart." Leija finished. She gazed down at the ground, folding her hands on her lap. "You see, I was an orphan. I was found wandering the Labyrinth as a child, and taken to the castle to be punished for trespassing. But…"

The gnome looked up at Sarah, her green eyes shimmering in the firelight.

"When the King saw me, he became furious. He had the guards who arrested me thrown into the dungeons. His Majesty took me in, and showed me kindness, and commanded everyone else do the same."

Sarah stayed quiet, a little stunned by the gnome's story. Jareth had never come off as the merciful sort. He had always been threatening her, or demanding something, or ordering her around. But Jareth had saved her from Edorin, using some of his precious magic to do so. Maybe…

"Yes, but he turned you into his _maid_," Sarah said suddenly, turning to the gnome, "It's not like he…"

Leija balked.

"Oh, _no_, mi'lady! His Highness never _forced_ me to do anything! I…"

She curled her small legs up, resting her chin on her knees.

"…I-I…I just wanted to be useful……to pay him back. I can't fight, but I can clean and cook. And I'm a rather good seamstress, too. He's just been so kind to me. And…well…Milord is the closest thing to family that I have."

Silence followed as both girls watched the crackling, dwindling fire.

_That's why she's so protective, _Sarah realized, glancing at the blond gnome, _That's why she's so devoted to him. Jareth is more than just her King. He's like an older brother to her. _

Sarah thought of her own family; her mom, her dad, her stepmother…and most of all, Toby. Even though sometimes her baby brother drove her up the wall, she loved him a lot, even more so in the last few weeks. Maybe Jareth felt that way about Leija, too. Now that the girl thought about it, she couldn't remember him saying a single unkind word to the gnome girl.

"Well…maybe he's not that bad," She murmured.

Leija's eyes filled with hope.

"Don't get me wrong," Sarah hastily clarified, "I still think he's a jerk. But maybe he's not as big a jerk as I originally thought."

"I'm glad," Leija said warmly, "Even though he has trouble showing it, Milord has a very high opinion of you, Mi'lady."

Sarah climbed to her feet, mumbling something about being suddenly very tired, and said goodnight. As she watched the girl walk off into the darkness, Leija beamed in excitement. The swift blush that had leapt onto Sarah's face had not escaped her notice.

Deep within the bowels of the castle, the Troll Lord stood over a stone table, gazing down at the map of the Labyrinth before him. He methodically drew his finger over each and every corridor. It was true that he did not know the great maze as well as the Goblin King, but he would not let that become his downfall. He had had his scholars tear through the library and read everything. Their findings lay before him, listing the many obstacles and creatures the Labyrinth held. All that was left to do was divine which routes Jareth and his companions might take.

Edorin pressed his thumb over the drawing of a staircase, sending green sparks dancing over the paper. A glowing green X appeared over it. The Fae frowned, pausing to put a hand to the shoulder. Just hours ago, it had been torn open by one of Jareth's crystal spears. It had already healed, of course, but the fact that Jareth had managed to wound him had greatly annoyed him. The Goblin King was more of a nuisance than he had anticipated. But he would not make another such mistake.

The Troll Lord's lips curled into a joyless smile as another X spread out under his fingertip. With his magic and the Labyrinth at his disposal, he would obliterate any wisp of a chance they had.

Edorin only hoped that he would have the pleasure of killing Jareth himself.

**I'm BAAAAACK! It's a new year, and way past time to start pumping out more chapters! Sorry for taking so long…I spent Christmas with my relatives in a different state, and it took a week and a half to fully recover. (I'm pretty sure I'm still suffering from an overdose of Drama and Guilt-trip poisoning…O_o) Ah well, family, what are you going to do? Thank goodness I can love them from a distance.**

**I still can't believe how many people are reading this! Thank you all so much for supporting this humble little fanfic! It's thanks to your reviews that Jareth didn't burn down my tree! I know there isn't much action in this chapter…okay, there isn't ANY action in this chapter…but the next one will have enough for both! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD AND HOLY CONTINUE TO REVIEW! Love you guys ****!**


	9. The Field of Squash

Sarah must have fallen asleep, and slept soundly, because by the time she woke, it was already light out.

_Just a few more minutes, _she thought groggily, not bothering to open her eyes. She was comfortable. She was warm. She was…_moving?_

Sarah became acutely aware that the soft bed she was laying against had ruffles, and smelled very good. Like rosemary and pine. Her eyes flew open, and she found herself in the arms of the Goblin King, being carried princess-style. The girl immediately lost her breath, and turned bright mahogany. There was silence for a few moments. Then a bewildered shriek. In a matter of seconds, Sarah was out of his arms and against the Labyrinth wall, blushing madly.

"_What the hell, Jareth?!_" She cried angrily.

A boyish grin spread itself over the Goblin King's face.

"Good morning to you too, Sarah. Although I'd prefer a thank-you. You're heavier than you look."

Sarah turned, although it seemed physically impossible, ever redder.

"_Why were you carrying me?!_" she demanded shrilly.

"I thought the answer would be apparent," Jareth replied, "We needed to get moving, and you were still sleeping. You are lucky I'm such a gentleman, or I would have woken you up."

"Gentlemen don't carry off girls in their sleep!" The girl howled, "Only _perverts_ do that!"

Jareth's smirk vanished, replaced by an indignant grimace and a rather noticeable blush of his own.

"W-What an _ungrateful, insolent_ girl you are!" he managed, trying to resume his composure, "It's to be expected of _your race_, I suppose! Fine then! Next time, I'll simply leave you behind!"

Sarah's eyes narrowed into slits.

"_Oh yeah?!_ Well, next time you get stuck aboveground, I'll just…"

Before she finished the sentence, she noticed that Jareth was glaring at her, his arms crossed.

"…and _how_ did you carry me with a broken arm?" She finished in confusion.

Jareth blinked. _That_ had been a quick mood swing. But since he didn't particularly relish Sarah's anger, he'd take what he could get. He rubbed his right hand gently over his left wrist.

"A parting gift from the Muse. But perhaps we could continue this charming conversation later? Edorin has no doubt sent some of his minions to find us, and I would rather not meet up with them. Now, come along. It's only a bit further."

"What's only a bit further, sire?" Turnok asked, jogging to keep pace with Jareth.

"The fastest route back towards the castle."

Turnok paled.

"Sire…you don't mean…?"

"_The Field of Squash?!_" Hoggle yelped, stopping dead in his tracks, "Yer plannin' on leadin' us through that _death trap_?!"

"That is precisely my plan, Hogwart," The Goblin King replied, "It is one of the few paths Edorin will never dream of us taking, and as such, is sure to be both unaltered and unguarded."

"A'course the Troll Lord wouldn't suspect it!" The dwarf argued, "_Its suicide!_ It'll save 'im the trouble a' killin' us!"

"S-Sire," the Captain of the Guard spoke up, "Although I hate to agree with the dwarf, he does have a point."

Jareth shot him a withering glare.

"…albeit a t-teeny-tiny one," he stammered, falling silent.

At this point, Sarah was hopelessly perplexed. A field full of squash hardly sounded dangerous, or even mildly threatening. In fact, it sounded like it might be a rather pleasant detour. Unless it was the Labyrinth's version of the vegetable.

_What exactly are squash like here, anyway?_ Sarah wondered, _Maybe they secrete poisonous fumes. Or their vines strangle you. Or have huge fang-filled mouths and munch your feet off. Or, knowing how this place is, all of the above._

Yes, running through a field of toxic, vine-strangling, carnivorous squash did sound perilous.

_God, I hope I'm wrong, _she thought bleakly, _What the heck would my parents put on my gravestone? _

Sarah really wanted to ask what exactly was so dangerous, but Jareth and Hoggle were too busy arguing to offer her any clarification. So she turned to Leija, who also looked deeply concerned.

"Are squash here evil or something?" She asked.

"Uh, no, Milady," the gnome replied, "The name is a bit misleading, you see. The 'squash' it's talking about isn't so much referencing the vegetable as it is…the verb."

Sarah still didn't really understand, but figured she'd find out soon enough, and stayed quiet. Sure enough, ten minutes later, they arrived at a cracked, vine-covered archway. Beyond it was a grassy meadow strewn with ruins. It looked completely benign.

Now the girl was _really_ confused.

"I don't care what ye say!" Hoggle announced, "I ain't goin' through the Field of Squash!"

Jareth fixed him with a withering gaze that had once made the dwarf fall on his knees and beg for mercy. But it didn't seem to be _nearly_ as effective as it used to be.

"Yes, you will," the blond Fae insisted, "One way or another."

Hoggle winced at the threat, but returned the glare.

"I ain't afraid of ye. Ye's got _no magic!_"

The Goblin King's face darkened, his mismatched eyes growing volatile.

"Yes, it's true I don't have my powers," He said slowly and evenly, his voice oozing venom, "But you should also recall that your full height barely reaches my knee, which puts you in the perfect range of my foot. It also means that I could throw you _very, very_ far. So either you go into the Field of Squash of your own volition, feet-first, or you go into the Field of Squash of _my_ volition, _head-first_. The choice is yours."

Hoggle was now trembling, but tried his best (which wasn't very good) to conceal it. He then walked stiffly to the archway, showing he was willing to cooperate. Ambrosious, however, wasn't. He sat in the doorway, ears back, whimpering something awful. Turnok stomped over to the dog and tried to look as threatening as possible.

"Move, mutt!" He growled.

Ambrosious yipped and ran inside. The goblin smiled triumphantly, thinking that his intimidation skills had finally improved. But they hadn't. What had scared the dog was directly behind the goblin. Turnok felt icy breath on the back of his head and turned slowly around.

An enormous, eight-foot tall being, covered from head to toe in thick black armor towered above him, holding a gigantic war axe. It stared down at the small group, its green eyes glowing in its helm.

Sarah gasped. Leija yelped. Hoggle screamed girlishly.

It raised its axe above its head.

"_TROOOOOOOLL!_" Jareth shouted. Grabbing Leija's wrist and Sarah's wrist, he dragged both of them down. Turnok and Hoggle managed to duck just as the deadly blade swung over them.

The Goblin King twisted his head to face them.

"Into the field! _Now!_"

This time, no one objected. They ran pell-mell into the meadow. Thundering footsteps behind them signaled that the troll had given chase. Sarah glanced back, and saw in alarm that the troll was hastily gaining. She forced her legs to move faster until she matched Jareth's pace. Still, the giant gained.

_Crunch._

Suddenly, the troll disappeared. In its place was a giant ruin. Sarah's eyes widened.

_Huh?!_

Jareth screeched to a halt, throwing out his arms to shield them. A giant pillar slammed into the ground a foot in front of them. Sarah gasped. All the ruins in the meadow were moving. They were rising up off the ground of their own volition, and crashing back down to earth, trying to crush anything that moved.

No, not crush. _Squash_.

Enlightenment suddenly fell upon her, but it was not nearly as pleasing as she had thought it would be. Any scrap of satisfaction was overshadowed by the fact giant pieces of stone were trying to kill her. Sarah ducked as another large ruin swooped past. Turnok was zigzagging around the field, ducking and rolling beneath the flying boulders. Hoggle was simply sprinting across the meadow of doom as fast as his short legs could carry him. Thankfully for her, the Goblin King had quickly spotted the path of least resistance, and was pulling her and Leija towards the safety of the other side. Sarah was running as fast as she could, but was still being pulled by Jareth. Leija was offering no struggle; her feet hadn't been able to touch the ground since the troll's untimely demise. Jareth quickly jerked them to the left just as a piece of statue hurdled to the ground. Sarah let out a pained cry as his fingers dug into her wrist. Hearing her, he looked over his shoulder to make sure she was alright. A stone wall altered its course mid-flight and aimed itself at the Goblin King.

"_Look out!_" Sarah cried.

Jareth whirled around. But it was too late. The wall dived, its massive weight determined to crush the life from his body. Sarah dug her heels into the dirt, whipping them to an abrupt stop. The stone wall collided with the ground, missing Jareth by only inches. Then she saw it. The archway leading back into the Labyrinth, only a few yards away. The blond Fae must have seen it as well, because he took off towards it, charging full speed. The stone wall, however, was not about to let its prey escape so easily. It flew at them once again. Sarah, Leija, and Jareth were only feet from the entrance. But the ruin was faster; it would squash them before they reached it. Thinking quickly, Jareth turned to Sarah.

"_JUMP!_" He shouted.

They leapt into the air. The wall scooped them up harmlessly and rammed into the archway, throwing them through the door and into the Labyrinth. Seeing that they were now out of reach, the ruins gloomily returned to their resting places. And within moments, the Field of Squash was as quiet as before.

Hoggle and Turnok, who had made it through first, helped them to their feet. Ambrosious greeted them with a lick and happy wag.

"Field…of…Squash, huh?" Sarah panted, glancing at Jareth.

"I really have been…meaning to…rename it," he managed, wiping the sweat from his brow, "My ancestors had…a rather _grim_ sense of humor."

"So that's where it comes from," Sarah mumbled under her breath.

**Holy Christmas, Batman! I can't believe I'm already starting chapter ten! O_o This is much longer than any of my previous fanfiction attempts have gotten…and still going strong, too, with the help from my readers, my reviews, and of course other *ahem* motivation…(Jareth brandishes hot poker menacingly). Ahem! Anyway. Thank you for your continued support! I LUVS YOU ALL! AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! *makes big anime eyes* Pweaty pwease?**


	10. The Griffon's Gate

Edorin sat on the throne, his back rigid and his face blank. Before him stood one of his guards, dressed in the same thick black armor as the rest of his army, but with spiked shoulder pads and green trim. One of his enormous horns had been cut off – lost in a previous battle – but he was just as enormous as his brethren.

"You are certain of this?" The Troll Lord asked.

The guard nodded.

"Yes, sire. The Goblin King and his servants just passed the Field, and are heading this way. My scouts sent me word only a moment ago."

"Hmmmmph," Edorin murmured thoughtfully, tapping his long nails on the throne's armrest. "A bold move. Have one of your men follow them."

The guard stiffened.

"I am…afraid it will take a bit of time, sire. Regrettably, I lost my only man in the area. He had attempted to pursue them through the Field."

"There is nothing regrettable about it," Edorin replied coldly, "He was obviously a fool. Death was a suitable punishment. I have no use for incompetent soldiers."

Underneath his armor, the troll shuddered.

"Of course, sire."

"Send word to your scouts. I want the exact location where Jareth is."

"Shall I send the Elite to apprehend them, sire?"

The Troll Lord frowned heavily, his piercing blue eyes fixed on his servant.

"No. Let them continue on."

"Sire?" The troll said in bewilderment.

"Trail them, but stay out of sight. That is all." Edorin replied, dismissing the creature from his presence with a careless wave. The troll bowed respectfully and left quickly. The raven-haired Fae was mildly amused at his subordinate's obvious confusion. It was different than his normal plans. But in his previous campaigns, he had never before controlled the Labyrinth. And Edorin was enjoying his new toy too much to let the game end so quickly.

Meanwhile, Sarah and the rest of the odd little team were walking in silence, following closely behind Jareth. He led them through the many passageways, doors, and staircases. The Goblin King glanced at the upcoming fork in the road and turned left. Sure enough, it led right into the corridor it was supposed to. Silently, Jareth breathed a sigh of relief. So far, they had been lucky. _So far_. But he had to stay vigilant; Trolls were incredible fond of strategy. All it would take was for him to let his guard down, and _wham!_ His head would be sliced off as cleanly as a dandelion. He'd lose an arm or leg at best.

Jareth glanced down at his left arm. It was still aching something awful. He hadn't enjoyed lying to Sarah, but he didn't want to tell her the truth; that he had used some of the Insignia Ring's magic to heal his broken arm. It wasn't even fully healed. He had mended the bone, but that was all. The damage to his muscles was still there. Carrying her had been incredibly painful, but it had been _so worth_ _it_. To hold her in his arms, to feel her warm breath and smell her sweet hair, to gaze upon her peaceful, angelic face while she slept...

Before, he had been willing to trade all he possessed to do that, and now, he knew full well how worthwhile the trade would have been. But it wasn't enough. He would no longer be content to embrace her just once, not if it meant he would never be able to do it again. No; he wanted to be with her always, to never leave her side.

_You have no power over me._

The Goblin King was jerked back to reality by the unforgiving memory. He shook it off best he could, silently cursing out his own traitorous subconscious.

"Jareth?"

The Fae glanced back towards the owner of the voice, who just happened to be Sarah.

"Something wrong?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, "Edorin hasn't changed anything on you, has he?"

"Not yet," He said grimly, "But it's only a matter of time, I'm afraid. Thankfully, we'll be able to bypass most of his traps."

"How is that?"

"By going through most of _my_ traps," The Fae replied.

"_Great_," Sarah mumbled, "This keeps getting better and better."

"I'm surprised at you, dear Sarah," Jareth chided, smirking, "I didn't peg you as one to back down from a challenge. Perhaps the weeks of my absence have made you grow soft."

"Oh yes," Sarah retorted dryly, "Whatever would I do without you to throw snakes on me and chase me down with the Cleaner?"

"Still sore about the snake, are we?" He said, "And as for the Cleaner, you brought that upon yourself. Calling the _Labyrinth_ a 'piece of cake'! You humans and your conceit."

"Oh, like you aren't any different?" The girl said, flipping her hair back, "You popped into the oubliette to make me admit it was hard, so you could feel like you were better than me. So I said the opposite of what you wanted me to say. If you had been in my shoes, you would have said the exact same thing!"

"I beg to differ."

"Beg all you want. It still won't change the truth."

Jareth glared at her.

"And who are you to decide the truth? I'm not an idiotic little _human_ like you, so I wouldn't behave the way you did."

Sarah snorted.

"Give me a break! You think you're all high and mighty, but you're _not_, if the royal fit you threw afterward was any indication."

"I did no such thing."

"Liar, liar, thou pants are aflame."

While they continued arguing, Leija, Turnok, and Hoggle had fallen a few steps behind, but were still listening. The threesome watched the two bicker with mixed emotions.

"Isn't that cute?" Leija giggled quietly, "Their first quarrel."

"_First?!_ That definitely ain't their _first_ quarrel!" Hoggle chuckled, "There's a slew of 'em, let me tell you! I was there fer most."

"Yes," the gnome replied, smiling, "But it is their first lover's spat, isn't it?"

Hoggle choked like he was about to vomit. Turnok froze and went white as a ghost.

"_What?!"_ They cried out in unison.

She blinked innocently.

"You didn't know?"

"Leija, they a-aren't…the two a' them ain't…t-they're…!" Hoggle tried.

"But they…_that human girl?!_ With _him?!_ The King…he would never! How could you _say…?!_" Turnok stammered, shock and disgust filling his voice. "_Why do you think that?!_"

"Oh, neither of them _said_ anything," Leija replied, putting a hand to her cheek and smiling coyly, "But the way Milord steals glances at her…and how Mi'lady blushes so around him…it's obvious they care about each other. Just look."

They all turned to look at the pair ahead of them. Apparently, Jareth had once again said something to upset Sarah, and she was in the process of saying some very rude things in return. The dwarf and the goblin watched them brawl for a few moments, then stole a glance at each other. Turnok swirled his finger in circles beside his head and pointed at Leija. Hoggle gave a short nod.

Shortly afterward, the troupe arrived at an enormous gate. At the very top, a creature with the body of lion and head of a falcon was perched. It stood at attention the moment it noticed them.

"Greetings and salutations," it said, in a rather lofty manner.

"_What?!_" Jareth cried out suddenly, looking infuriated.

"I said, 'greetings and salutations'," the creature repeated.

"_I know what you said!_" The Goblin King snapped, "But why are you_ here? You aren't supposed to be here! _The Griffon's Gate is supposed to be on the other side of the Labyrinth, guarding the exit to the Bog of Eternal Stench!"

"Ah," The griffon said, nodding, "I _thought_ the air was smelling better. In any case, you want to pass, correct?"

"Uh, yes, we would," Sarah replied.

"Alright. Tell me the magic word, and I'll open the gates," The griffon said dutifully.

She turned to Jareth.

"What's the password?" She whispered.

He looked back at her with a combination of anger and helplessness staining his fair features.

"_You don't know?_" She gasped, "But it's _your_ Labyrinth! You have the layout memorized! How can you _not know?!_"

"I never had to _use_ a gate before!" He hissed back, "Why would I bother with memorizing passwords when I could simply transport myself to the other side?"

Sarah turned to the other three.

"Anyone know the password?"

One by one, she was met with shaking heads. Sighing, she turned back to the griffon.

"I don't suppose it's 'please', is it?"

The griffon considered it for a moment, before replying,

"No, but being polite won't hurt your chances."

Silence followed, until Turnok, who had an incredibly tiny amount of patience on the best of days, stepped forward.

"This is ridiculous!" He roared, motioning to Jareth "Don't you know who _this is_?! This is the Goblin King, the Lord of the Labyrinth! You should bow down in reverence and throw the gates open for him!"

The griffon rolled his eyes.

"Oh, yes, the _Goblin King_. Like I haven't heard that one before. Come now, I'm not a half-wit."

"You'd have to study up to be a half-wit," Jareth hissed under his breath.

"Can't you give us a hint?" Sarah asked the creature.

He shook his head.

"Sorry, but no hints. It's the rules."

"This is impossible," Leija said quietly, her shoulders slumping, "Even if we do guess the right password, how do we know that he won't immediately change it?"

The griffon's feathers ruffled at the sound of this.

"I beg your _pardon_, little miss!" He huffed, putting his beak in the air, "But I am not some common vulture! If there's one thing I take pride in, it is my _impeccable_ morals! I _never_ lie!"

An idea blossomed in Sarah's head. She looked at Jareth, and saw a familiar smug smile spread over his features. His devious mind was thinking the exact same thing.

"But how would we know?" The girl asked aloud, sounding innocent, "For all we know, that could be a lie."

"_But it isn't!_ I simply _do not_ lie!"

"Talk is cheap, my dear sir," Jareth said, crossing his arms, "And if we do not know the password, how are we to judge if you are telling the truth or not?"

"I certainly don't like what you are implying!" The griffon said angrily, looking hurt, "And I _am_ telling the truth, and I'll prove it!" He opened his beak, but immediately shut it.

"Well?" Sarah demanded, "We're waiting."

The creature looked down at them the sheepishly.

"It's just…well, I can't. I can't tell you the password."

"I knew it!" Leija cried out suddenly. She pointed an accusing finger upward. "You _are_ planning on changing it!"

A look of horror came over the griffon.

"_What?!_ No! That isn't what I meant _at all!_"

Sarah snuck her a wink, which made the gnome girl smile.

_Nice going, Leija!_

Hoggle quickly hopped on board as well.

"Sure, sure," He said, feigning sarcasm, "Aye 'suppose that's the truth, too, eh? That's just disgraceful, that is. Ye kiss yer mother with that mouth?"

"I only meant…!" The creature tried, before being interrupted by Sarah.

"Did you make up the _rules_ as well?"

"No, of course _not!_ They…!" The poor thing cried.

"Are we expected to just stand here and listen to this _rubbish_?" Jareth said, fixing the griffon with a disapproving glare.

"But I…!"

The only one who was still in the dark about their plan was the Captain of the Royal Guard.

"Sire," Turnok said meekly, walking up behind him, "I think he _really is _telling the tr…"

Jareth quickly silenced his clueless subordinate with an unmerciful kick in the gut that knocked the wind right out of his lungs. Thankfully, the griffon didn't seem to notice.

"Shocking," Sarah said, shaking her head.

"Truly awful!" Leija agreed.

"What a barefaced liar!" Hoggle added.

The humiliated griffon, who looked as if he was either on the brink of crying or exploding, just couldn't take any more of their abuse and finally shrieked indignantly,

"_Pumpernickel!_ It's pumpernickel! It's always been pumpernickel, and it always will be pumpernickel! Now just try the password, and you'll see that I've been _telling the truth_!"

They kindly gave him a few minutes to recompose himself. Finally, the creature said, "Alright, what is the password?"

"Pumpernickel," All of them replied in unison.

"Correct!" The griffon snapped. He stomped over to the middle of the gate and pushed a hidden switch. The stone gate rumbled open, and they entered. Leija and Sarah looked up at the seething beast as they left.

"Sorry for misjudging you," Sarah said gently.

The griffon mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Leija obviously felt the worst for her part in it, because she stopped to look right in the griffon's eyes.

"We all are very, very sorry, sir. You were completely right. You're a good, honest, hardworking griffon, and you should never let anyone else tell you otherwise. Someday you'll meet a very nice she-griffon, and you'll live happily ever after."

Leija bowed slightly and hurried after her companions, leaving the griffon to wonder what exactly had just happened.

**Ooof-da! Sorry for the delay, guys. I've been sick lately…well, actually I'm still sick…and while you'd think that would give me time to write more, it hasn't. All my free time has been occupied with sleeping. One good side effect of illness is that Jareth is apparently a cootie-phobe *points to vacant space usually occupied by the Goblin King and his hot poker* Anyways, hopefully I'll feel better soon, and I'll get back to writing faster. Love you lots, and PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW! Your reviews are like healing cookies of righteousness to my soul!**


	11. The Dream Garden

Once a safe distance from the griffon, Sarah couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Did you see his _face?!_" She laughed, turning around to her companions, "Oh, the poor thing was about ready to _cry!"_

"Aye!" Hoggle agreed with a chuckle, "'I simply don't lie!' That'll learn 'em for bein' so uppity!"

"That was the most fun I've had in a while," Jareth said, a grin parting his lips, "And my dear Sarah! Where did you learn to be so deliciously devious? I never thought you had it in you."

Sarah beamed, flipping her hair coyly.

"Oh, I have my moments…and speaking of not thinking someone had it in her, Leija, you were awesome! That sent him right over the edge!"

"I must agree," Jareth added, gazing warmly down at his servant, "Well done. I couldn't have done better."

"T-Thank you, milord," Leija managed, blushing from the praise. Sarah bent down and held up her palm for a high five. The gnome gently returned it.

Ambroisious panted happily, wagging his tail and darting between everyone's legs. The only one who was silent was Turnok. A few minutes later, it finally sunk it.

"You…you mean…_you knew he was telling the truth the entire time?!_" He cried out, "_That was just a ruse?!_"

Everyone paused long enough to stare at him. Jareth didn't settle for that; he grabbed the goblin by the scruff of his cape and held him up to eye level so he could fix him with a withering glare.

"Yes, _you fool!_" He hissed venomously, making Turnok tremble, "And you nearly blew the whole thing! Next time you choose to voice your _stupidity_, not only will be enjoying a full-body dip in the Bog of Eternal Stench, but I'll have you demoted to _Captain of Oubliette Scrubbing_! Is that simple enough for your _thick head_ to comprehend?"

"Y-Y-Yes sire!" The goblin squeeked.

"_Good!_" Jareth replied. Without so much as a moment of consideration, he carelessly threw the goblin over his shoulder. Leija hurried over to assess the damage, and helped the groaning and overly-abused minion to his feet.

Deep within the bowels of the castle, Edorin was growing restless. Jareth was progressing through the Labyrinth faster than he had originally anticipated. Too fast. He was bypassing most of the traps, leaving the Troll Lord unsatisfied. He had expected the fool to squander the majority of his magic by the time he reached the castle, but now, it seemed quite unlikely that that would happen. Unless, of course, he was forced to use his magic. Behind his long black hair, Edorin's icy eyes gleamed unpleasantly.

"You've kept me waiting too long, _Jareth_," He breathed, rising from the throne, "Now I shall have to come to _you._"

Not fifteen minutes had passed before they came to a fork in the road. Jareth paused for a moment, before leading them left. The path widened and soon, they came upon a beautifully engraved gate.

"Aw, great," Hoggle grumbled, eyeing the archway suspiciously, "What fresh hell do we gotta go through now?"

"Cease your incessant _whining_, Hogwart," The Goblin King replied, "The only way you could possibly harm yourself in here is by choking on a piece of fruit."

_Sounds like a nice change_, Sarah thought. She could deal with fruit. By the way her stomach was growling, she could deal with _a lot_ of fruit. Once inside, the girl felt her jaw drop.

Inside was the most beautiful orchards she had ever seen. Trees with branches laden with fruit and nuts spread out, nearly glowing with health. Bushes of plump, juicy berries lined the walkways. Vines of ripe tomatoes and shiny green and yellow peppers festooned the walls like ivy. Faeries flitted amongst the branches, curiously watching the intruders.

"If only I had me spray can," the dwarf mumbled, shooting a glare at a particularly brazen pixie who was mocking him.

"What is this place?" Sarah asked in wonder.

"This is the Dream Garden," Leija replied softly, "All the plants here have been enchanted so that they bloom eternally. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Turnok clomped behind them, barely glancing at the scenery.

"Bah! What's so special about a bunch of trees? A _real_ goblin wouldn't be so sentimental."

Leija's gaze fell in embarrassment. Jareth prepared to punish his subordinate for his thoughtless remark, but he was beaten to the punch. Hoggle had tripped the goblin with the blunt end of his hoe, sending him plummeting to the ground face-first into some rotten fruit. Sarah didn't notice; she had fallen behind. A particularly beautiful apple tree had caught her eye. Seeing all the wonderful fruit had reminded her that she hadn't eaten for a whole day. Her stomach rumbled longingly. Sarah reached out to pick one of the bright crimson apples.

A hand caught her wrist.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, my dear Sarah."

She turned to find that Jareth had appeared at her side. He gently pulled her arm back to her side.

"That apple wouldn't agree with you well. One bite and you wouldn't be able to remember even your name."

"Oh! Uh, thanks," The girl replied, embarrassed. A few moments later, she asked, "Why would you even grow something like that?"

"You'd be surprised how useful they can be," The Goblin King said smugly, "Say, a gift basket for a council member you've insulted, or a peace offering to a warlord."

Sarah's face suddenly grew sullen, and she looked away.

"Like a peach offered to an unsuspecting girl?"

Jareth halted. Sarah stopped as well, and looked back up at his face. His silence made her wonder if she had angered him, and was expecting another snide comment about humans. Instead of anger, though, his face looked apologetic.

"I am…regretful…about that particular affair," He said quietly. The blond Fae had chosen his words carefully, but the fact he had offered any semblance of apology caught her off-guard. She found herself starring into his mis-matched eyes; at first, she had found them unsettling, but now, the girl thought that they truly must be the most beautiful eyes in the world.

Sarah forcefully tore herself away, and resumed walking. The Goblin King followed.

"Is there anything in this garden that _won't_ give me amnesia?" She asked.

"The persimmons won't," Jareth replied, "And the strawberries will actually make you remember."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Make you remember what?"

"A memory you've forgotten. Nifty little things, really. My subjects are willing to spend mounds of gold on a single one. I myself have lost my taste for them."

"Why?" Sarah said curiously.

"There are…certain things that are best left forgotten," The Goblin King said quietly, turning his head. A few moments later, he stopped and plucked a peach from a bough above their head. He held it out to her.

"You're fond of them, aren't you?" Jareth said. There was an uncommon gentleness in his voice.

Hesitantly, Sarah took the peach from his hand.

"It won't…do anything to me, will it?" She asked, fingering it nervously.

A smile spread over the Goblin King's face.

"No. No tricks this time. I promise."

It wasn't his normal smug grin, or even a condescending sneer. It was a real smile. A pure, warm smile. The girl realized she had never really seen him smile before. In fact, he never really looked happy. The Fae's face was more commonly contorted in anger, or resentment. On a rare occasion, even sorrow. But not happiness.

_But why? _Sarah wondered, _Why wouldn't he be happy? He's a King! He rules over the whole Labyrinth!_

She dismissed the thoughts and scolded herself. She was reading too much into it. Sarah bit into the peach and chewed. It was actually delicious. And no strange magical aftertaste. Jareth's eyes stared deeply into her own, as if searching for something. She swallowed uncomfortably.

"Um…thanks," she managed, turning back towards the path to hide the darkening crimson of her cheeks. Whatever trance Jareth had been in was broken. He strode ahead gracefully, his tattered cloak billowing behind him.

"Not at all. Now, come along, Sarah. If we don't rejoin them soon, that dwarf of yours may throw another tantrum."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a shrill scream rang out in the orchard.

"_Leija!_" Sarah cried, rushing towards the sound. Jareth arrived at the scene first. In their absence, the few faeries scattered about in the trees had grown into a massive swarm. Three small figures were barely discernable in the cloud. Sarah ripped off her raincoat and began beating her way towards them. Vicious pairs of small jaws stung her bare arms as the faeries latched onto her. She gritted her teeth in pain, but kept digging deeper into the swarm. Suddenly, she was engulfed in black fabric. The girl looked up to find that Jareth had wrapped his cape over her, and was using it to shield them from the hoard. But the more they attempted to push their way through, the more impassible the cloud became.

"_This isn't working!_" Sarah yelled, "_They'll be dead by the time we get to them!_"

"_No they won't!_" Jareth roared, plunging his left arm deep into the swarm. A large burst of blue magic radiated from his palm, and the vicious faeries were sent sprawling to all corners of the orchard. Jareth bent down, scooping Leija's limp form into his arms.

"_Now run!_" He shouted. Together, they sprinted towards the orchard's exit. A bloodthirsty howl rang out behind them. Sarah glanced over her shoulder to find a great black wolf at her heels, bearing its fangs. She gave a terrified shriek, forcing her body to run faster. Jareth saw the beast as well, and realized immediately what was happening.

"_Stop! It's a trap!_"

Sarah saw it too late; an enormous hole had opened up in front of them, and she was going too fast to stop. The Goblin King seized her wrist, digging his heels into the ground in an effort to stop them from going over the edge. Furious that his plan had been discovered, the wolf snarled and launched itself at Jareth, digging its fangs deep into his leg. He cried out in agony and stumbled, falling into the black pit, and unintentionally pulling Sarah along with him. Edorin watched in cruel delight as they fell deeper and deeper, until they were swallowed up by the black abyss.

***The door bursts open, and AnimeRANDOMNESS steps out, looking healthy and triumphant* BWAHAHAHA! I'M BAAAAACK! It's been a heck of a battle, but I've finally trumped whatever evil mojo was running rampant through my immune system, and added another chapter to my fanfic! Sorry for making you wait this long, but I hope this chapter was worth it! It took three days to get it the way I wanted it! (Yes, I know, I'm pathetic T_T) As always, please please please review, and thank you to my devoted readers for the healing cookies of righteousness! **


	12. The Well of Despair

Sarah opened her eyes. It took a few moments for her vision to clear, and longer for her eyes to adjust to the inky blackness that surrounded her. She sat up slowly, cautiously checking to see if anything had been broken in the fall. Her knee was skinned, and she had a few scrapes, but she was otherwise unharmed.

"Hoggle?" The girl asked hoarsely, steadying herself against the wall as she got to her feet. There was a groan a few feet to her right. She made her way toward it, and soon discovered the dwarf rubbing his head.

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked, offering a hand to help him up. He coughed some dust from his lungs.

"Leija…where is Leija?"

"I don't know," the girl admitted, and called out, "Is everyone alright?"

She felt a tug on her nightgown and looked down. It was Turnok, about as battered and bruised as usual. The goblin looked distraught. He was clutching his dagger feverishly.

"Leija! His Majesty! Where are they?! What happened?!"

"Easy, easy," she said, bending down, "We fell down an Oubliette. They have to be close by."

Hearing this, the goblin calmed down a little, and reluctantly sheathed his blade. Sarah stood back up and looked around, searching the darkness. Suddenly, she saw them. The three hurried to their side.

Jareth was lying against a wall, still holding Leija in his arms. The Goblin King stirred as they approached; he adjusted much faster than Sarah had, and immediately turned his attention to his small subject.

"Leija...Leija, wake up."

She opened her eyes slowly and blinked groggily.

"Milord…?"

"Are you alright?" He asked. The concern was evident on his face, and he made no attempt to hide it.

"I-I think so…" The gnome replied uncertainly. Memory returned, and she sat up abruptly. "_The fairies!_ Hoggle and Turnok protected me! Are they…?!"

Jaereth nodded towards them. Seeing that they were safe, Leija put a hand on her chest.

"Thank goodness…" she sighed.

As blond-haired Fae went to put her down, he winced, putting a hand on his leg.

"You're bleeding!" Sarah exclaimed, bending down to get a better look. His leg was worse up close. There were two rows of puncture wounds, all deep, and bleeding profusely.

"God, that looks _awful!_" She gasped, "We should…!"

"No, we don't have time," Jareth interrupted, "We must get moving, and find a way out."

"But your leg…!"

"I'm fine," He said firmly. But as he went to stand up, his knees buckled, and he had to lean against the craggy wall to keep from sliding back down again.

"No, you're not!" Sarah accused. Her expression softened, and she lowered her tone, "Look, just let me stop the bleeding for now."

"I will scout ahead, sire," Turnok volunteered.

The Goblin King hesitated, but eventually gave in.

"Alright, but have your wits about you. There are rather unpleasant things that roam these oubliettes."

"Have fun, ye idiot," Hoggle snorted, "I wouldn't go wanderin' around these catacombs fer all the jewels in the…"

"I'm coming as well," Leija said, following the goblin.

"…aye! Ye ain't leavin' me behind!" Hoggle recanted quickly, and chased after the pretty gnome girl.

Sarah watched the threesome disappear ahead before turning her attention back to Jareth. She untied the raincoat from around her waist, and unbuttoned the liner from the inside.

"I know this isn't exactly sterile, but I don't have any gauze," The girl apologized, "This is probably going to hurt…_a lot_…"

She began tightly wrapping the fabric over his leg. He gritted his teeth, but said nothing. The cavern was quiet as the girl bandaged his wound. Sarah finished, and sat back to examine her work. It wasn't very neat, but it would have to work.

"You could have acted as if it was a hard decision, you know."

Sarah looked up in surprise. Jareth was starring at the wall, refusing to make eye contact. For a while, she didn't understand; but seeing his forlorn expression caused her to remember their last words before she returned aboveground.

The girl lowered her gaze.

"It would have been, if you had actually meant it."

The Goblin King turned his head to stare at her. Sarah took a deep breath and continued.

"I know what you were doing, Jareth. You were trying to stall me. Just like you had been doing the whole time. The masquerade dream…what you said to me…they were all distractions. And you figured a teenage girl couldn't possibly be able to turn down someone as handsome as you, but you were wrong, weren't you?"

Jareth just gaped at her. At first, she thought that calling him out had rendered him speechless, but that theory was quickly put to rest. A boyish grin spread itself over his face.

"So I'm handsome, _am I?_" He asked, triumph ringing in his velvety voice.

Sarah colored. She hadn't meant to say that. She had _definitely not_ meant to say that.

"I didn't…that isn't what I…!" The girl protested feverishly, the blush on her cheeks getting more pronounced by the second.

The blond Fae leaned forward, resting his arm on his knee.

"Do you think that I'm _charming_ as well?"

"That's not…I-I…!" she sputtered, flustering for words.

Jareth's smile broadened.

"_You_ _do_, don't you?"

"…_.oh, go to hell!_" Sarah finished angrily, shoving herself to her feet. She quickly marched out of the cavern, leaving the Goblin King alone.

_She didn't think that I meant what I said_, he thought to himself. He rose slowly from the ground, putting his weight on his uninjured leg. _That's why she didn't pay attention. That's why she could refuse me so easily. _

He could not yet convince himself that that would have changed her answer, but, as she herself had admitted, it would have been a harder choice. Because she _did_ think he was attractive. _And_ charming.

_There's still a chance, then…_

Satisfied, and still grinning, Jareth sauntered after the brown-haired girl, reminding himself to bring it up again later, when his servants were present.

Hearing footsteps behind them, Hoggle turned to find a furious Sarah fast approaching them. He quickly stepped out of the way. Leija and Turnok saw her as well, but didn't exercise the same caution.

"Lady Sarah!" The gnome girl said, running over to her, "You've finished already? Is milord alright?"

"That man will _never_ be alright!" She growled, not even bothering to slow down, "It'll be a miracle if someday he's _half decent_!"

Turnok had to jog to keep up with her seething pace.

"Where are you going?

"_Away from him!_"

Leija and Turnok slowed to a halt, watching in confusion as Sarah stomped her way into the next chamber.

"Didn't mi'lord say that dangerous things live down here?" The gnome worriedly asked her companions.

"Aye, he did," Hoggle replied, rejoining the group, "An' God help any monster that stumbles into the path a' _that_ one."

A little later, Jareth himself arrived. He wouldn't elaborate on what had caused Sarah's foul mood, but the devilish grin he wore was proof enough that he was the culprit. They didn't see a trace of the girl for more than ten minutes, until they came upon a strange chamber.

Unlike the others, this room was square; its walls of gray brick, and copiously clean. An unadorned pair of stone doors were set in the wall. Sarah was in front of the doors; she had been forced to grudgingly wait for the Goblin King, so he could tell them if it was an exit, or a gateway to decapitation. Although, at this particular moment in time, Sarah wasn't sure if decapitation was worse than having to bear the blond Fae's newly-amplified ego.

_I knew I was going to have to face him some time or another,_ she thought bleakly. Sighing, she forced herself to turn around.

Jareth recognized the entrance almost immediately. The grin he had been wearing vanished. He knew that the Edorin wouldn't have trapped them in an empty oubliette, but he had been _sure_ that the Troll Lord didn't know about the Well. However, there was no mistaking those menacing doors.

"What…what's wrong?" Sarah asked, "Isn't this the way out?"

"Yes, it is. But it isn't that simple," he said grimly. He turned to face everyone. "Listen to me closely. Behind these doors, you are going to see, and hear, and yes, even _feel_ things that aren't real. This place feeds on fear; the more panic you feel, the more vivid the delusions will become. Try to find the exit as fast as you can. A staircase, a ladder, anything you can find to climb out. We probably won't be able to see each other until we get back into the Labyrinth. Remember; it's not real."

Jareth walked up to the doors, and grasped the handles tightly. Turnok unsheathed his sword; Sarah was certain he wouldn't find it useful, but gripping the blade seemed to comfort him. Leija pulled her cloak over her arms. Hoggle looked at the gnome's frightened expression, inched over, and took her hand. She gave him a grateful smile; he just blushed.

Jareth fixed his eyes on Sarah's hazel ones. She saw in surprise that they held glimmer of uncertainty. But in seeing the determination on her own face, his eyes seemed to regain some of the confidence they usually contained, and the Goblin King pulled open the doors.

Instantly, Sarah found herself alone. She swallowed, and began walking. The inky blackness of the cavern began to change. Abruptly, the walls gave way entirely, and soon the girl found herself walking down the main street of her own town. Bewildered, she stopped in her tracks.

_But…but how…?! _She thought, staring at old book store she so often frequented. _Could this…all this…really be just a dream? _ It seemed so _real_. She could feel the cracks in the pavement. She could smell the flowers that were blooming in the planters along the street. Sarah could even see her school in the distance.

_But it's not real,_ she reminded herself, _Jareth said this would happen. I have to keep moving._

She forced herself to resume walking. Gradually, Sarah began to notice that something was off. She couldn't tell what at first. Everything looked completely normal. Except…

"Where is everyone?" Sarah asked aloud.

The normally busy streets were bare, the shops deserted. No cars drove down the street. No men walking their dogs, nor women pushing strollers. There were no birds singing or squirrels running up the trees. All was still. Not even a passing butterfly could be seen.

She was alone.

Completely alone.

Sarah felt panic rise in her chest. Her pace quickened. Ever since her mother had left her as a child, she had hated being by herself. Even being alone in her bed at night used to frighten her. That's why she was so fond of dolls and stuffed animals. You could never be alone when you were surrounded by "friends". As she had grown, she had gotten better. But being in this horrible, completely deserted town brought all her childhood fears rushing back.

_Calm down, Sarah, _she told herself, _Don't lose your head. It isn't real. This isn't real. Jareth said to find the exit. It has to be around here somewhere._

Heart racing, Sarah began anxiously looking. She didn't see any mysterious staircase, or a rope hanging down from the sky. Unless the exit was _supposed_ to blend in. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something. It was an old fire escape attached to a café. She walked over to it, casting a critical eye on the rusty ladder. It couldn't possibly be the exit. It didn't even reach the top of the building.

_Don't take anything for granted,_ she repeated to herself, _Nothing is as it seems._

Grasping the first wrung in her hands, willing herself to be strong, Sarah began to climb. Nothing changed. The empty town remained below her. She kept climbing. As her fingers took hold of the last rung, a burst of wind hit her face, forcing her to close her eyes.

When she opened them, she gasped. No longer was she climbing a fire escape; she was now climbing an iron ladder. A bright circle of sunlight was above her. Sarah thrust her head out.

Never had she been so happy to see the Labyrinth's ivy-covered walls, or the orange and pink sky overhead. The girl sighed in relief.

"Sarah!"

"Mi'lady!"

She turned to see a familiar looking dwarf and gnome hurrying over to her, followed by an unnerved-looking goblin.

"Hoggle! Leija!" she said, "Turnok! Man, I'm glad to see you guys!"

"Are ye alright?" Hoggle asked earnestly.

The girl smiled and nodded. But, after a few moments, she noticed that someone was missing. Her smile faded.

"Where is Jareth?"

"His Highness hasn't come out yet," Turnok replied nervously.

With a start, Sarah remembered the Goblin King's wounded leg. What if it had made climbing all but impossible? What if the bleeding hadn't stopped? As the moments ticked by, Sarah's worries grew, until she could no longer stand it.

"I'm going back," she said firmly. Before they could stop her, she began climbing back down the ladder. Hoggle poked his head over the side.

"What?! Ye can't go back in! Ye'll never find him!"

"Lady Sarah, please! Come back!" Leija cried.

But Sarah paid them no attention, and before her friends' eyes, vanished back into the Well's inky depths.

Jareth's nightmare had been quite different. Within a few footsteps, he had found himself on one the balconies of the castle. The Goblin City was in ruins, its buildings set ablaze. Dozens of goblins lay slaughtered in the streets.

_It's not real, _he repeated to himself, stepping over one of his dead guards, _It's not real._

But how did he know? The Troll Lord had taken the castle, and the city along with it.

_I will purge this realm of the chaos you have caused, even if I must cut down every last goblin to do so._

A convulsive shiver ran up his spine. Edorin was cruel and ruthless; the Fae knew this well. He had meant what he had said. Jareth could only pray that a scene such as this did not await him back at the Goblin City.

The Goblin King tried to force his fears from his mind, but found he could not. He could only continue on through his ravaged castle, and try to find a way to escape. Through room after room, he went, trying not to look at the carnage around him. He arrived at the throne room.

His throne was gone; in its place was an intricately carved stone sarcophagus. Jareth's heart began to race. He wanted to turn and leave the room immediately, but he found he could not. As if possessed, the Fae found himself walking slowly towards the coffin.

Up until a few weeks ago, he had rarely thought of death, much less feared it. But the loss of his powers had reminded him how fragile he truly was. Jareth knew what he would find in the sarcophagus.

_This isn't real, _he thought furiously, _None of this is real!_

He reached the side of the stone sarcophagus. Trembling, Jareth looked down, prepared to see his own dead body. But what he did see was much worse.

It was Sarah.

Her beautiful face was expressionless and pale; her hands were folded over her chest, a single lily placed beneath them. A garland of white flowers had been lovingly strung across her brow.

Jareth couldn't breathe. He clutched the sarcophagus's side in a white-knuckled grasp, trying to tear his eyes from the sight of her cold, silent body.

_No…no…not her…not Sarah…_

Tears welled up in his eyes; he slid to his knees, and placing his head against the stone, he despaired. Dark coils of magic began to spread up his legs. Soon they would fully ensnare him, and he would be trapped. Even so, Jareth could not pull himself from the delusion. Hopelessness had seized his heart. All he could do now was wait for the Well to claim him.

_Jareth…_

The Fae opened his eyes. A voice. Someone was calling to him.

_Jareth…!_

It was getting louder, stronger. Suddenly, someone grabbed his hand.

"_Jareth!_"

The illusion shattered. The Goblin King soon found himself starring into a pair of concerned hazel eyes. It was _her_.

"S-Sarah…?" He whispered. Jareth reached out and touched her face. It was warm.

The girl looked surprised, but quickly shook it off.

"We need to get out of here! Come on!"

Coming to his senses, Jareth nodded, and they both began to climb. He didn't let go of her hand until they had both safely emerged into the bright daylight.

**Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…so tired…O_o You guys may have noticed my updates aren't as frequent as they used to be. The reason is that I have been working on my novella as well. Add in work, sleep, and a couple hours o' free time and you can probably understand why it takes a good week to crank out another chapter (-_-' I really wish I could write faster…!) Anyways, thank you so much for being patient with me, and don't worry, I'm still gonna keep pumping out more chapters, but don't expect them as fast as they used to be. THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS! I CAN'T BELIEVE I ALMOST HAVE 100! I should throw a party when I get my hundredth one! =3 Anyways, PLEASE CONTINUE TO REVIEW! I LOVE YOU ALL, YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE YOU!**


	13. Worms and Wonderings

No sooner had they emerged from the Well than they were accosted by Hoggle, Leija, and Turnok.

"Sarah!"

"Milord! Mi'lady!"

"Are you alright, sire?" Turnok asked anxiously.

Jareth nodded wordlessly. Sarah noticed that he was quite pale. Whatever delusion she had helped him escape from had been just as bad as her own, if not worse. And the way he had looked at her…

"What were ye _thinking?!_" Hoggle exploded, "Ye had just escaped! What if ye had been caught in yer _own_ dream again?!"

"But I didn't," Sarah interrupted, hoisting herself over the Well's lip. She smiled. "Besides, if _I_ had taken too long, I know that you would have come in after me, too."

"No I wouldn't have," the dwarf muttered sulkily, crossing his arms.

"But Hoggle," Leija said gently, "You had _just said_ that if Lady Sarah didn't come out in two minutes, you were going to go find her."

Hoggle lowered his gaze and mumbled something unintelligible.

A whine caught Sarah's ear, and she looked down to find a familiar shaggy pooch wagging its tail.

"Ambrosius!" She laughed, "When did you get here?"

Turnok shook his head.

"The mutt must have tracked our scent. He slunk in as soon as you disappeared back down the Well."

Ambrosius went to work licking her hand. The girl stooped down to pet him.

"I'm glad you're alright, too."

"I hate to break up this lovely little chat," Jareth said suddenly, "But we have to keep moving. Unless anyone wants to fall into another of Edorin's little traps? No? Alright then. This way."

With that, he began walking down the nearest corridor. All of them exchanged looks, and followed after him. He seemed to have recovered from any distress he had sustained in the Well; however, the girl saw him glancing at her over his shoulder when he thought she wasn't looking. From the way he reacted when she woke him, and the way he was sneaking looks at her now, Sarah could tell she had featured in his nightmare. How, or to what extent, she did not know.

_Why would I be in it?_ She wondered. Sarah suddenly remembered what Jareth had said in the oubliette.

_You could have acted like it was a hard decision, you know._

But why? Had he really taken what she had said that hard? It wasn't as if he had meant it. It wasn't as if he had meant it…had he?

_No, of course not, don't be stupid, _Sarah chided herself, _That couldn't be it. More than likely, it's just that he's never had someone turn him down flat before._

Normally, she'd feel good about taking his considerable ego down a few notches, but for some reason, this time, she felt guilty. It was because of that look. He had seemed so hurt. Of course, that was before she had let it slip that he was handsome. She had actually admitted, _to his face_, that she thought he was handsome. Oh, God, why had she chosen _that_ word…?!

"'allo there!"

Sarah froze, causing Hoggle and Leija, who were behind her, to stop as well. Jareth frowned, obviously thinking that Edorin had changed something else on him.

"What was that?" Turnok asked, unnerved by the apparently disembodied voice, "Who's there?"

"Down 'ere!" the cheerful voice ushered, "An' a bit to the right!"

Following the voice's directions, they found the source; a small worm with tufts of blue hair and a snug red scarf was sitting on an outcropping of brick.

"Is that…a _worm?_" Hoggle said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's right," the worm replied, "But me mum had some caterpillar in her, on her father's side." Taking notice of Sarah, he added, "Why, you're the young lady I met just last week! Sarah, wasn'it?"

"Uh, yes, sir," she said, a bit surprised he remembered.

"Ha ha! No need to be so formal! Name's William!" He said enthusiastically, before turning and calling out, "'ey! Cora! Cora! Come on out! There's someone I want you to meet!"

Soon after, another worm appeared at the opening of the hole William stood beside. This one was pink, and was wearing a white apron.

"Bless my soul!" she cried, "If I'd have known we'd have so many guests, I would've made some crumpets!"

"Cora, this young lady 'ere is Sarah," William explained eagerly, "She's the one I told you about. Beat the Labyrinth, she did."

"Ahhhh!" The pink worm said, beaming, "Lovely to make your acquaintance, dear!"

"Pleased to meet you, too," Sarah said politely, "But…what are you doing so deep in the Labyrinth? I thought you lived just inside the gates!"

"We used to, but we moved," Cora replied.

"T'was not safe anymore, what with the trolls an' all," William added, then cast a loving look at his wife, "Plus, we needed more room for the baby."

"_Baby?_" Leija gasped.

"We're expectin'," Cora said happily," A'course, we didn't move here all by ourselves."

The blue worm quickly nodded.

"No, a gentleman fox helped us. He warned us 'bout the trolls, an' carried us an' our furniture all the way here. He was quite kind."

"Very kind," his wife agreed.

At hearing the mention of a fox, Hoggle started. It hadn't escaped Sarah's attention, either.

"What was his name?" She asked quickly, anxious to have any word of her friend.

"He didn't mention his name," William said, "I think he was in a bit of a rush. Said he had to go defend the city. Fancied himself a knight, I think."

"_Didymus!_" Sarah exclaimed, looking at Hoggle.

"Aye, it _has_ to be him!" The dwarf said in agreement, "How many fox knights are there?"

"Not many," Turnok said gruffly, "Up until recently, I thought there were none."

"If Sir Didymus is in the Goblin City, chances are Ludo is there with him!" the girl said excitedly, turning back to the two worms, "Thank you very much, but we have to go now."

"Are you sure you can't stay for tea?" Cora pressed, moving to her husband's side.

"I'm afraid we can't," Jareth replied, being strangely courteous, "Thank you for the offer, but we're in a bit of a rush ourselves."

"Well, if you're headin' for the city, you'd best be careful," William warned, "There's a lot of trolls that way, I hear."

At this, the blond Fae clenched his hands into fists, but stayed silent. Sarah nodded to them gratefully, and, together with the others, resumed their journey towards the castle. The narrow corridor they were in led to another, and another. To Sarah, they looked nearly identical. She wondered how on earth the Goblin King managed to navigate them. She was about to ask, but noticed the expression on Jareth's face. He looked distant, and troubled. Not wanting to disrupt his thoughts, she decided against it. Instead, the girl fell back, and sneakily managed to pull Hoggle aside.

"Sooooo…?" She asked, grinning.

"Eh?" the dwarf said, momentarily pulling his attention away from a certain blond gnome. "So what?"

Sarah nudged her head towards the object of his affections.

"Anything…going on?"

"I don't know what yer talkin' about!" Hoggle sputtered, his face turning red.

She, however, wasn't buying it. On the contrary, his reaction only served to convince her further.

"You _like_ her, don't you?"

"_I most certainly do not!_" The dwarf argued, looking indignant, "Sure, I saved her from those furry things, and been watchin' out fer her, and nailin' that Turnok in the knee when he speaks bad 'bout her, and picked her that one rose…and…"

Realizing he wasn't making a good argument, and that Sarah was grinning ear to ear, he finished weakly, "…and so what if I do?"

The girl tucked her arms behind her back.

"Oh, nothing, I just never thought you'd melt into goo because of a pretty face."

"Leija ain't just a pretty face!" Hoggle replied, wringing his hands, "A'course, she's got one a' those too, but…she's sweet and clever, and has those big, beautiful eyes, and smells real nice…"

Smells nice. Sarah suddenly recalled how Jareth smelled, that intoxicating woodsy aroma of pine and rosemary. He had beautiful eyes too; the fact that each was a different shade only made them more stunning. And clever? He had practically written the book on cleverness!

Sarah became painfully aware of her thoughts, and quickly stifled them, trying to concentrate back on what her dwarven friend was saying.

"…_an' she's just the right size!_" Hoggle sighed.

At this, the girl couldn't help but laugh. He blushed harder, and cried out defensively, "Sure, a human would think that's funny, but _yer_ kind are a gem a dozen! Ye know how hard it for a dwarf to find someone his size?!"

Sarah just laughed harder.

Meanwhile, at the front of the group, Turnok had been working up the courage to approach Jareth. He had cleared his throat a few times, but the Fae had either been too consumed by his thoughts to notice, or had decided to ignore him. Finally, the captain of the guard spoke up.

"Ah…sire? May I speak with you?"

The Goblin King glanced at him. He swallowed, and began nervously.

"Well, uh, your majesty…a little while ago, by the Field of Squash...when you were arguing with Sarah…Leija said something…"

Jareth raised an eyebrow.

"What did she say?"

"Oh, it's p-probably nothing!" the goblin stammered, "It's just that…well…and I don't believe her of course…I was just…and she might have just gotten hit in the head with a rock in the Field…"

"_Spit it out, you fool!_" The Goblin King demanded in irritation.

Turnok gulped.

"…L-Leija seemed to think that…that you_ cared _for the girl."

The annoyance on Jareth's face instantly evaporated, replaced by an expression of utter shock. He stopped to stare at Turnok for a few moments, before forcing himself to keep walking. Mistaking his stunned silence as confirmation Leija was wrong, Turnok relaxed, and continued idly.

"Don't worry, your highness. Leija didn't breathe a word of this nonsense to anyone but that dwarf and myself. Of course, I knew at once it wasn't true. I mean, honestly! How ridiculous! As if you'd fall for that _stubborn, ugly human…!_"

The Goblin King screeched to a halt, causing his subordinate to crash into his legs. Jareth whirled around, his face contorted in such furious rage that the goblin saw himself die a thousand deaths in his lord's mismatched eyes. Turnok went as white as a ghost, which was only natural, considering he planned on becoming one soon.

A second later, Jareth's pitiless foot lodged itself in Turnok's ribcage. He crumpled to his knees, putting his head in perfect range for the Fae's boot, which hadn't quite satisfied its vengeance.

Sarah, Hoggle, and Leija, who had joined them out of curiosity, were just changing the topic when the captain of the royal guard flew over their heads. They watched in astonishment as he slammed face-first into the brick wall behind them and, in classic cartoon fashion, slid slowly to the ground.

"Nice aim," Hoggle admired.

"Oh Turnok, what did you say _now?_" Leija murmured exasperatedly, leaving them to check the goblin's vitals.

"Whatever it was," Sarah sighed, shaking her head, "I'm sure glad _I_ wasn't the one who said it."

**Hey everyone! A couple people have asked me how long this fanfic is going to end up being, and judging by my outline as it is now, I'm gonna guess it wraps up around Ch. 17 or 18. That could always change, though. Sure hope you liked the chapter! If you did, or if you didn't, remember to leave a review! *glances at Jareth, who is now holding a chainsaw and revving it threateningly* Um…pretty, pretty please? *sweats***


	14. The Impassible Staircase

After Leija successfully woke Turnok from unconsciousness, the small group continued through the Labyrinth. The goblin was obliged to stay at the very back; whether this was due to dread of another assault, or simply because of his bruised ribcage and throbbing head, it was a wise decision nonetheless. Leija stayed with him to watch for any telltale signs of a concussion, and Hoggle, as usual, stayed with Leija. This put Sarah in the rather uncomfortable position of being a buffer between the obviously aggravated Goblin King and his abused Captain of the Guard. Silence reigned over the next half an hour. Finally, Sarah spoke up.

"You feeling okay?"

Jareth blinked. He was nothing short of astonished at her concern, and it showed. She would have preferred if he hadn't acted _so_ surprised, though.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why?" He asked.

The girl jabbed her thumb at Turnok.

"That was a bit over the top, even for you. What did he say?"

"Nothing that is worth repeating," Jareth replied, malice ringing in his tone.

"You could _try_ to be a little nicer to him, you know," Sarah sighed, "Or at least less violent. He's an idiot, but he'd follow you to the grave."

The Goblin King was fairly sure she wouldn't feel the same if she knew what he _had_ said, but stayed quiet. As they walked, Sarah saw that the Fae's normally elegant stride had developed a slight limp. The make-shift bandage over his wounds was stained with blood.

"You're still bleeding?" She asked worriedly, "Mine stopped a while ago. You sure you're okay?"

"Getting bitten by a hell hound is not the same as skinning your knee, my dear Sarah," He said dryly, "The deeper the wound, the longer it bleeds."

The girl shot a worried look at his leg. Nearly the entire bandage was crimson.

"Yeah, but that's an awful lot of blood. Why don't you just use some of the Insignia Ring's magic to heal it?"

"I cannot afford to waste any more," Jareth admitted hesitantly, "It will mend soon enough."

Sarah wasn't so sure, but understood. Between transporting them into the Underground, and protecting them, she was sure he had used up quite a bit of the magic. He needed to conserve what he could. If he ran out completely, then…

The girl couldn't bring herself to think about it. She silently wondered when she had started caring so much about him.

_Maybe he has some sort of charm on him_, she thought, _The more time you spend around him, the less infuriating he seems. That would explain how all the goblins can stand to be around him._

"Why?" he asked quietly.

Sarah whirled around. Jareth avoided meeting her eye, but continued in a low voice.

"You had already escaped the Well…why did you venture back in? You could have been cast back into your nightmare."

"Well, I-I…" the girl stammered. Now she was stuck. How could she lie her way out of this one? And if she told the truth, any way she phrased it he would turn into flattery, and his handsome blond head would swell up like a balloon. But there was no other plausible reason. Bracing herself, the girl finished,

"…I was worried about you."

Jareth stared at her wide-eyed. After a moment, his cheeks flushed, and he looked away.

"…you have my gratitude."

Sarah faltered.

"I-I…uh…y-your welcome?"

And with that, he quickly strode ahead of her, leaving her to try and sort out what exactly had happened.

Barely a few minutes had passed when the group rounded the corner, and saw the Goblin City in the distance. All breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, it's still there," Sarah announced.

"No smoke or fire, either," Leija added cheerfully.

"Good, the city still stands," Jareth said, relaxing a little, "And my castle as well. But if Edorin has done any _redecorating_, I will have to show him my _displeasure_."

With a renewed determination, the Goblin King escorted them across the bare courtyard and took a sharp right, which ended in a staircase. Setting their sights on the castle, they began to descend.

_Considering everything we've gone through, we made pretty good time, _Sarah thought to herself as she walked down the stairs, _We'll even end up getting there before nightfall! _

However, the girl's attention soon focused on another matter. The set of stairs was taking an unusually long time to descend, considering it was a fairly short flight. In fact, she realized, she didn't seem to be moving down them at all. She was still walking, but the bottom wasn't getting any closer at all. Looking over, she saw that all her companions were having the same problem.

"What's going on?" Sarah asked aloud, "Is this another Labyrinth trap or something?"

"It can't be," Jareth replied, his brow furrowing, "Nowhere is there a trick staircase. Unless…"

He stopped, and glanced behind. With a start, Sarah saw that they were still only three steps from the top.

"…_he added his own traps?!_" Jareth roared, clenching his fists, "Why that bloody arrogant _git!_ How _dare_ he tamper with _my_ Labyrinth! The _impudence!_ _When my fingers find his throat…!"_

"It'll be fine" Sarah soothed, glancing back up the stairs, "We'll just go back. The Labyrinth is always changing, right? So we'll just wait until another route opens up."

But when they returned up the stairs, the girl's hopes quickly disintegrated. Now, instead of the two doorways that had been there when they had entered, only an old brick wall stood.

"The doors!" Turnok cried, pressing against the bricks, "We're trapped!"

"Oooooh, real observant, aren't you?" a thick-accented voice said sarcastically.

Sarah turned around. Sitting on one of the stone benches, and partially hidden by a wall, was a heavily bundled old man wearing an utterly ridiculous bird hat. The old man was fast asleep; it was the bird hat itself that had made the snide comment. The girl instantly recognized them as the ones that had helped her before, although, in all honesty, she didn't see how she _couldn't_ recognize them. A talking hat was pretty hard to forget.

"Do you know how to get past that staircase?" Sarah asked.

"Ha!" The living accessory replied, "How would I know? I'm just a hat! He's the brains of this operation!"

It motioned to the snoring old man beneath it, and shook its head, adding, "And isn't _that_ sad?"

"Well, does _he_ know how to get past it?" She pressed.

"Maybe. But you'd have to make it worth our while, senõrita" said the bird hat mischievously, shaking the contribution box.

Sarah bit her lip. Last time, she had gotten lucky, and worn enough jewelry to bribe her way through. But this time, since she had been woken up in the middle of the night, and hadn't even had time to actually get dressed, she had nothing to offer. She glanced hopefully at Hoggle.

"Don't look at me!" The dwarf said defensively, "I've taken ta keepin' my jewels back at my hut! An even if I had 'em with me, I wouldn't give him nothin'!"

"I'm afraid I don't have anything, either," Leija said sheepishly, double checking her empty pockets.

All eyes turned to the Goblin King, or, more precisely, the silver and gold pendant around his neck. Ordinarily, Jareth would have threatened the creature into submission, but being both tired and in a hurry, he grudgingly pulled the pendant from his throat and dropped it into the box.

"Gracias, senõr!" The bird hat chirped happily, before turning its attention to its slumbering owner, "Ey! Rise and shine, sleeping beauty! Wakey wakey! We have customers!"

The old man snorted, and slowly opened an eye halfway.

"Hmmmmm?"

"Customers!" It said.

"Customers?" The man asked, blinking.

"Customers!" The bird hat repeated, "Aye, aye, aye, are you going deaf too?"

"Quiet you confounded thing!" The old man boomed, now mostly awake, looking to the small group before him. Knowing she only had so long before he fell back asleep, Sarah spoke up.

"Sir? Do you know how to get down the staircase?"

"Staircase?" The old man said slowly, "Yes, yes, the staircase. Ah-ah-ah-hem! Well now…hhhrrrruuuuff…the staircase…is an obstacle."

"_Brilliant,_" Jareth hissed under his breath, "Worth every penny, wasn't it?"

"Hush," Sarah whispered back, as the old man yawned and continued,

"Most obstacles…are conquered step by step…but sometimes…they require…a leap…of…faith…"

Having finished his proclamation, his eyelids drooped, and within seconds, the old man was once again fast asleep.

"_That was it?!_" Turnok burst out, facing the man's headpiece angrily, "He didn't tell us anything!"

"Sorry! No refunds!" The bird hat replied, chortling, "Better luck next time!"

This did not sit well with the Goblin King. In one seamless movement, he snatched the contribution box and emptied its contents into his hand, not only reclaiming his pendant, but a few gold coins as well.

"_Ey!_ What do you think you're _doing?!"_ The bird hat screeched, twisting its long neck in agitation, "You can't do that! That's _stealing!_"

"No," Jareth replied, carelessly tossing the empty container back at it, "I'm a king. That's _taxation_."

Sarah stifled a giggle at the bird hat's slack-jawed expression, and followed the blond Fae back to the stairwell to contemplate a solution.

"What do you suppose he meant?" Leija asked in confusion.

"He didn't mean _nothin'!_" Hoggle said, kicking a stone moodily, "A bit of philosophical rubbish, that's all that was."

However, Sarah was not so convinced. The girl had thought the same thing the first time he had given her advice, and it turned out to not only true, but quite helpful.

"Most obstacles are conquered step by step, but sometimes they require a leap of faith," she murmured to herself, looking down the stairs, "A leap of faith…wait a minute!"

She spun around.

"A leap of faith! The stairs have a spell on them to make them impassable, right? But what if we jumped _over_ them?"

"We'd…we'd leap right over the spell!" Leija gasped.

Turnok was less enthusiastic.

"Don't be ridiculous! It'll never work!" The goblin disagreed loudly, crossing his arms, "We would never be able to clear the whole flight!"

Jareth, however, had different ideas. Up until then, he had been resting against the wall beside the staircase. The vicious wound that the Troll Lord had given him was much more painful than he had been letting on, and that pain had taken its toll on his thin patience. So, instead of letting them argue, he decided to put Sarah's theory to the test. Without so much as a word of warning, the Goblin King reached down, plucked his subordinate off the ground by his cape, and lobbed the goblin into the air. Moments later, the screaming Turnok crashed back down to earth at the bottom of the staircase.

"It…worked?" Hoggle said, raising his eyebrows.

"Obviously," Jareth replied. He pretended to ignore the disapproving glare from Sarah, and reached down towards the dwarf.

"Hogwart, you're next."

He backed up a few steps, putting out his hands protectively.

"No need fer _that!_ I can manage myself!"

Not wanting to give Jareth a chance to kick him down the stairs, Hoggle wasted no time in jumping the staircase. He made it, but "accidentally" landed squarely on the aforementioned goblin. Leija, being the smallest, had to use a running leap, but managed to avoid Turnok altogether. The blond Fae turned to Sarah, waving his hand with a florish.

"As always, ladies first."

_Oh great, _she thought miserably, stepping up to the edge, _I get to go first. Of all the times to be a gentleman…!_

Her apprehension wasn't due to a fear of heights; it was a fear of coordination. It wouldn't be the first time she had tripped and fallen down a staircase. And because of the spell, if she tripped, she might end up tumbling down the stairs indefinitely, or at least until the Goblin King stopped laughing long enough to help her. These thoughts did little to soothe her anxiety.

_Oh God, _she prayed, crouching at the ready, _If you love me at all, even the teeniest little bit, you'll help me not look like an absolute doofus in front of HIM!_

Apparently, God was more merciful than she had given him credit for, because not only did she _not_ trip, she landed gracefully on her feet. Not to be outdone, Jareth leapt the stairs from his standing position. However, upon landing, his badly injured leg had to absorb half of the shock. He grimaced, biting his lip to keep from crying out. A hand grabbed his wrist.

To his astonishment, Jareth found that the hand belonged to Sarah. She gave him an apologetic smile, and gently squeezed, silently comforting his pain. Then, she let go, and the moment passed. But it was only when Turnok said his name, several minutes later, did he come out of his daze, and once again resume the lead, albeit with the faintest trace of a blush. Being so close to the Goblin City seemed to renew everyone's spirits.

That is, until they came upon the trolls.

**Oooooh! A cliffhanger! Don't you just love those? ^_^ Ah, but this is just a teensy one, really. Wait until two chapters from now…BWAHAHAHAHA! *cackles evilly, then continues, as if nothing happened* As always, I'll try to crank out the next chapter as soon as possible. THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS FANFIC, AND ALL YOUR LOVELY REVIEWS! Some days, your reviews are the only thing keeping the creative juices flowing! *Jareth clears his throat, cleaning his chainsaw* Well…almost the only thing…**


	15. The Stone City

**Hey everyone! No, I'm not dead, but I feel like I've been run over by a semi. A semi with spiky wheels. On fire. These last two weeks have been a nightmare. First, my laptop exploded in a fiery ball of doom (or maybe it just shorted out, but then I punished it with a sledgehammer). Then, before I could go and replace it, I got a double ear-infection so bad it made the doctor cringe. So for the last week, I've been laying in bed with two ice packs on my ears, laptop-less. All I can say is thank the Lord Almighty for painkiller. But I'm feeling better now, and I finally got around to finishing this chapter! Hope you enjoy it! PLEASE, OUT OF MERCY FOR MY TWO WEEKS FROM HELL, PLEASE REVIEEEEEEEEW! **

The two trolls had not been after the Goblin King at all; they were just guards, making their usual patrol. They had just turned the corner when they found a most peculiar little group rounding the same bend. Had the pair been goblins, they probably would have just starred, blinking, at Jareth and his followers for a few moments. But, as trolls were not only infinitely larger, but smarter, than goblins, it only took a second for them to recognize the blond Fae, and raise their massive axes.

"_RUN!_" Jareth shouted.

Sarah didn't need to be told twice; she ducked, and shoved the others back down the alleyway. The pair of trolls gave chase. Farther down the path, it split into three; Hoggle and Leija continued down the middle one, while Turnok rushed into the left one, and Sarah ran into the right. Jareth didn't have time to make a choice. The trolls were at his heels, and forced him to sprint down the middle. But one of the trolls had caught a glimpse of Sarah down the right alley, and broke from its compatriot to pursue her.

_Oh no_, the girl thought bleakly, hearing the thunderous footsteps behind her, _Please oh please let this not be a dead end!_

It wasn't a dead end; not really, anyway. For whatever reason, the Labyrinth's creators had ended this particular stretch with a circular path, like something of a small racetrack. And when the troll chased Sarah into it, they quickly found themselves running an infinite loop. Around and around they went, with Sarah trying at every opportunity to exit, but finding she didn't have enough time, and was forced to take another lap around the track, with the troll in hot pursuit. Fifteen rounds later, Sarah was forced to acknowledge that she was going to get tired before she could get out. And when she got tired, she would slow down, and then the troll would happily lop her head off. She was shaken from this unhappy revelation by a powerful tremor. The girl felt the ground beneath her feet rumble and quake.

_The Labyrinth's changing!_ Sarah realized with a start.

She continued running, scanning for the source of the disturbance. Abruptly, she saw it. An oubliette had opened up a few yards ahead. But where others might have only seen doom, Sarah saw an opportunity. She quickened her pace to a sprint. The pit was in front of her now, and at the last possible second, she leapt into the air. But the troll, who had been concentrating on Sarah, and not the road ahead, was taken by surprise. It dug its heels into the ground, trying to slow its massive momentum. The troll managed to stop at the very edge of the pit at the expense of its large axe, which plummeted into the oubliette. Sarah had already landed safely on the other side, but ran one more lap, until she was back at the pit. The troll was still wobbling about, whirling its arms to keep from falling in. Its red eyes widened when it saw Sarah. Smiling triumphantly, the girl reached a single finger out and poked it. That was all it took. The troll lost what little balance it had, and tumbled into the black oubliette with a roar.

Meanwhile, Jareth had not been so lucky. The troll was still chasing him. Hoggle had pulled Leija down another alleyway, and the black-armored beast had ignored them, continuing to pursue his royal prey. Jareth tried to disregard the troll on his heels, and concentrate on keeping his bearings. He intended to strand it on the bewitched staircase from before, and his plan would only work if he could successfully lead the beast to it. There was a flaw, however, that he had not counted on; all the running had re-opened his wounds. Blood was flowing freely down his leg. The Fae forced himself to keep running. It was throbbing horribly, to be sure, but he knew it was considerably better than what the troll would do to him.

A metallic clang echoed through the alley. Jareth glanced behind him, and saw in astonishment that the troll had stopped. A large rock had hit the creature's head. Snarling in pain, it whirled about, and soon saw its attacker. Turnok had followed after them. The goblin stood, dagger in hand, at the end of the alleyway.

"Over here, you hideous beast!" He cried boldly, "If you want the King, you'll have to go through me!"

The troll snorted, and, seeing no threat in someone so small, turned its attention once more to Jareth. But Turnok was not about to be ignored. Letting out a battle cry, he charged the troll.

"_Turnok, no!_" Jareth yelled, but the Captain of the Guard paid him no heed.

He jumped onto the astonished creature's back, and plunged his dagger through the joint in its armor, and deep into its flesh. The troll roared in pain, and cast the goblin down onto the stone, his dagger still imbedded in its shoulder. Turnok tried to pull himself to his feet, but wasn't fast enough. The troll was upon him. Seething in rage, it raised its war axe.

Jareth thrust his left arm into the air. A dozen crystal spears burst from the ground and walls. The troll didn't even have time to cry out before it was impaled, and killed instantly. Black smoke billowed from the corpse, and a few moments later, all that remained was its shattered armor.

The Goblin King bent over and plucked the dagger from the remains, and offered it to his subordinate.

Turnok climbed shakily to his feet, and took the blade.

"Sire, you…_you saved me_…?"

"Of course I saved you!" The Fae snapped, "What did you expect me to do, let that troll chop you in half?! What were you _thinking?!_"

"Forgive me, your Highness! I did not mean to make you use your magic!" Turnok replied, wincing, "I was worried for your safety, and it…well, it was the only thing I could think of…"

Jareth's face softened.

"You're a fool," He said quietly, shaking his head, "But a brave, loyal fool. And I can think of no one I'd rather have as my Captain of the Guard."

Unaccustomed to hearing praise, Turnok gaped at him for a few moments, before shaking it off and hurriedly bowing.

"T-T-Thank you, your Majesty!"

"There they are!" A voice cried.

The Goblin King and his subordinate turned to see the rest of their group coming to meet them. Hoggle and Leija had doubled back and run into the victorious Sarah, who had insisted they go and find the others.

"You're alright!" Leija cried, hurrying up to them, "Thank goodness! What happened?"

"Looks like Jareth shish-ke-bobed 'em," Hoggle said, grimacing at the tangle of crystal spears.

"And the other troll?" Jareth asked.

"I poked it into an oubliette," Sarah replied simply.

All of them turned to gawk at her. After a few moments, Turnok spoke up.

"You…you really are a strange human, aren't you?"

"Ye just_ now_ figured that out?" Hoggle asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jareth was about to add something when his knees suddenly buckled, and he had to grab a hold of the wall to steady himself.

"Sire!" Turnok cried out, rushing to his king's aid, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Your wound…!" Sarah said anxiously, seeing the blood running down his leg, "It's opened up again, hasn't it?"

"Yes, but…but that isn't it," Jareth admitted, closing his eyes, "It's my magic. I have used too much of it."

Sarah's eyes widened in fear.

"_You've used up all your magic?!_"

"No, not all," He replied, "But precious little remains. I only have enough left for one more spell."

When the Goblin King tried to stand, his legs once more gave way. But before he could grab onto the wall, Sarah reached out and steadied him.

"Hold on to me, okay?" The girl said, wrapping his other arm over her shoulder.

"That isn't necessary," Jareth protested, trying to pull himself away, "I don't need any help. I'll be fine in a few minutes. I certainly don't need to be carried around by a little _human_ girl!"

"_Will you stop being such a dumb ass?!_" Sarah exclaimed exasperatedly, giving him a hard stare, "You aren't fine, so stop saying that you are! You're hurt, and a few minutes rest isn't going to change that! I'm trying to help you, damn it, so just hang on and _shut up!_"

Jareth, for one of the few times in his life, was rendered speechless. Satisfied, the girl shifted his weight onto her, and began walking, with an awestruck Hoggle, Turnok, and Leija following behind.

A few minutes later, Jareth laughed quietly. Sarah looked at him curiously.

"What is it?" She asked, against her better judgment.

"You would have not said that to me before," He replied quietly, smiling, "It's really quite amazing how much you've changed, Sarah."

Sarah turned back to the road. She _had_ changed. She used to complain so often. About her stepmother, about having to do housework, about having to take care of Toby…_it wasn't fair_, she had said_. It wasn't fair. _

_You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is?_

And the truth was, it wasn't. Life wasn't fair. But she just had to deal with it. Jareth had taught her that.

"You've changed too, you know," she said, "You aren't half as mean to me as you used to be."

"Well, you aren't half as_ annoying_ as you used to be," he retorted, earning one of her glares. With a note of respect in his voice, he added, "And you're three times as brave."

This remark caught the girl off guard, and made her blush. They continued the rest of the way in silence, while Sarah tried to figure out the reason behind his altered behavior.

Finally, they reached the gates of the Goblin City. From a distance, everything had seemed normal. But the closer they got, the more anxious they became. There weren't any signs of battle, or a struggle of any kind. No soldiers, no weapons…not even a scorch mark. Everything was silent and still.

Leija swallowed.

"It's…so quiet."

"The gates are open," Jareth murmured, his brow furrowing, "And there are no guards. Something is very wrong."

It only took a few steps inside the city to see what the something was.

The city remained exactly the same. The buildings were all undisturbed, the cannons and watchtowers as well. It was the goblins themselves that had changed. They were all there, hundreds of them, and not a single one was moving. Gray guards stood vigilant at their posts. Civilians stood motionless at the well, some holding buckets of water. Bartering merchants stood frozen in time, as well as the livestock they were selling. Every living thing in the Goblin City had been rendered lifeless.

"They've all been turned to _stone!_" Hoggle exclaimed, shuddering.

Leija hid her face in dwarf's shoulder, stifling a sob. The dwarf put a hand on her back, and did his best to comfort her.

"Everyone…even my men," Turnok choked, staring forlornly at the many soldiers still at their stations.

Sarah swallowed. She had known Edorin was strong, but _this?_ Transforming an entire _city_ into stone? How on earth could he wield such magic? Even as powerful as Jareth had been, Sarah greatly doubted he had had this sort of power. How were they going to defeat the Troll Lord? Did they even have a chance?

She was so consumed by her thoughts that it took a few moments for her to realize that Jareth had pulled himself from her side. Sarah looked around, and soon found him again.

He was standing in front of a stone goblin woman playing with her child. He ran his fingers over the nameless mother's head. Sarah approached him slowly.

"I've failed them," He murmured, bowing his head, "All of them. How could I have let this happen?! I was their king! _I was supposed to protect them_…._!_"

"You_ still_ are their king," Sarah said firmly, putting a hand on his shoulder, "And you _still_ can save them. When you get your powers back, you can undo the spell and free them."

Jareth was quiet for a little while, and but rose abruptly, pulling her behind him. Sarah soon saw the reason why; trolls had began to empty out of the castle in an alarming rate. And they were heading right for them.

"Everyone, get out of here! _Now!_" The Goblin King yelled.

But before they could take a step, trolls started to emerge from the entrance of the Labyrinth as well. Left with few options, the Fae turned turned to the two girls.

"Leija! Sarah! Go! Hide somewhere in the city!"

The small gnome girl hesitated, but nodded, and rushed off towards a group of nearby buildings. Ambrosius ran yipping after her. Sarah, however, didn't budge.

"I'm not going anywhere!" She cried stubbornly, "You'll be captured! Or _worse!_"

Jareth's eyes were beseeching, and filled with fear.

"Sarah, _please!_"

But by this time, it was too late. The trolls had completely surrounded them. Turnok drew his dagger. Hoggle gripped his hoe, trying his best not to tremble.

A ball of green electricity crackled to life in front of them. Moments later, it grew into the form of the Troll Lord. He stepped forth, and stopped ten feet from them.

"You somehow managed to get past my staircase," Edorin said, frowning.

"Piece of cake," Jareth replied, pulling Sarah closer to him.

The raven-haired Fae's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Is that _so?_"

Sarah swallowed. It was the same look that the Goblin King had given her a few weeks ago, just before he had summoned the Cleaner on her. But the Troll Lord turned his attention to Sarah.

"I see that you have survived," He said, a trace of surprise passing over his normally emotionless face, "I am impressed. You are remarkably resilient for a mortal. Perhaps Jareth's fascination with you isn't entirely unfounded."

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked uneasily.

Seeing the genuine confusion in her eyes, Edorin gazed at Jareth, the corner of his lips curling slightly.

"You haven't told her?"

"Don't listen to him," Jareth said quickly, paling.

"Do you know why I was forced to strip Jareth of his powers?" Edorin continued. He dissolved into a crackling ball of sparks, before reappearing behind her.

"It was because of _you._"

"Me…?" Sarah repeated.

"The Underground belongs to the children of magic," the Fae said coldly, "Our world survives by remaining separate from the human realm. Our very existence hinges on a delicate balance. Mortal influence upsets that balance, and puts our world in danger. Yet goblins insist on polluting our culture with human language, human items, human machines. And their ruler…"

Edorin's icy blue eyes pierced her own.

"…_actually falls in love with one._"

Sarah stared at him in shock. She turned to Jareth, expecting him to instantly dismiss the claim.

But he did not.

He gazed at her helplessly; the pained expression he wore only served to prove the truth of Edorin's words.

"At least _you_ had a sense of propriety, mortal. Who knows what would have become of the Labyrinth had you accepted. But I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to live."

The Troll Lord turned to his subordinates.

"_Kill her._ Bring the others to the castle," He ordered. Seconds later, he vanished in a shower of green electricity.

The trolls brandished their weapons, advancing on the group slowly. Mind racing, Sarah looked about wildly, trying frantically to formulate a plan. But she could think of nothing. The trolls were getting closer. Suddenly, she was pulled around, and found herself starring up at the Goblin King.

Jareth wore an expression of remorseful grief. His mismatched eyes were churning with emotion.

She looked back up at him, eyes wide. She was frightened, but _he_ was terrified; he had lost her once, in a dream, and it had nearly destroyed him. He could not bear to see her hurt, let alone suffer her death. He had to save her. Whatever the cost, _he had to save her_.

"Sarah," He said softly, taking the girl's face gently in his hands, "Go back to your world. Go back to your family and friends. Forget everything…forget the Labyrinth…_forget me_…and live a happy life."

The Insignia Ring glowed weakly on his finger.

"_What are you…?!_" Sarah gasped.

Jareth leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, kissing her tenderly. He drew away, and whispered, "_Forgive me…_"

Summoning the last of his strength, he finished casting the spell. Swirling blue magic erupted from the ring and engulfed her. The Labyrinth began to fade rapidly, dwindling as the spell took hold and pulled her away. Sarah saw Jareth collapse to the ground seconds before her vision was completely eclipsed by magic, and the sensation of flying overwhelmed her.

When the spell faded, Sarah found herself standing alone in her bedroom. It was still night; only a few hours had passed. She stood there in shock for a few seconds, until she realized what he had done.

_His last spell…he used his last spell to send me home…_

That had been the last of his magic.

Sarah let out a choked cry of horror, and ran over to her mirror. She pressed her hands against it, pushing, trying every last inch to find a way back into the Labyrinth. But it was solid. The portal had been shut.

"Let me in!" She cried out, "_Let me back in!_"

In desperation, the girl began pounding her fists against it, beating the mirror in vain. Hot tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"_You bastard!_" She screamed, slamming her fist against the mirror one last time, "_Why, damn it?! Why?!_"

With that, she sank to the floor, hugging her knees tightly against her, and weeping bitterly. The Goblin King had sacrificed himself to save her. In one hour, Jareth would die.

And she could do nothing to save him.


	16. A Strong Heart's Advantage

***AnimeRANDOMNESS is leaning against the door to her room, trying to keep all the raging fans outside* WAAAAAAAH! Why did all of you think I killed off Jareth?! I didn't kill him off! He still has an hour to live! *an axe chops through her door, just as the crowd starts chanting for her blood***

**Angry Mob *clutching Sareth pictures* : KILL THE MURDERER! KILL THE CLIFFHANGER-WRITER! OFF WITH HER HEAD!**

**NOOOOOOOOO! *tosses fanfiction at the crowd* Here! Read this chapter! JUST DON'T HURT ME!!! And, if it isn't too much to ask, could you maybe review…?**

***a chainsaw slices through the wood an inch above her head***

**OK, IT'S OPTIONAL! IT'S OPTIONAL!!!**

* * *

In the middle of the Goblin City, in the basement of a small house by the well, there was a goblin bed with a sleeping stone goblin inside of it. It was under this that Leija had hidden herself. The gnome girl had been unwilling to leave her lord's side, especially when danger was drawing near, but there was nothing she could do to help; Leija had no weapon, no spells, and little strength, and she knew she would end up putting them in further danger if they had to protect _her_ as well as themselves. So she had obeyed Jareth's command, and hidden in the house. But she had been at the window, silently watching over her comrades.

She had seen her lord use his last spell to save the girl he loved, and crumple to the ground. She had seen the trolls capture Hoggle and Turnok, and drag them and the Goblin King inside the castle.

Now, she hid under the bed, her small body wracked in silent sobs. Jareth…he had been so kind to her, so protective. He had treated her like they had been siblings from birth. And now her brother, her lord, her friend, was at the mercy of his most hated enemy, and she could do nothing.

Leija cringed as a pair of armored hooves rumbled past her hiding spot. Goblins would have given up trying to find her long ago, but the trolls were relentless. They wouldn't give up until they found her. Another set of troll feet walked over and stood beside the bed, sniffing. The gnome girl held her breath.

Suddenly, a yell shattered the quiet. The trolls let out surprised growls, and ran to the other side of the room, where the sound of metal striking against metal echoed. There was a howl, and a loud thud; a troll had been defeated.

"Come at me, knave!" An unfamiliar voice shouted, "Taste defeat at my paw!"

A few moments later, another crash came, followed by a victorious whoop. Leija let out a small sigh of relief. Within seconds, a fox-like head forced itself into the small crevice.

"Fair maiden!" He cried, sounding astonished, "Why art thou under the _bed_? That is no place for a lady!"

He extended a paw, which Leija gratefully took, and pulled herself out, dusting the cobwebs from her dress. The fox-liked head belonged to a fox-like body, clothed in a rather ill-fitting suit of goblin armor, and wielding a fencing sword.

"I was hiding from those trolls," She said, a bit taken aback by her rescuer, "You saved my life!"

"Twas a pleasure, mi'lady!" He responded, bowing with a flourish, "Chivalry runs in the blood of all knights!"

Leija blinked in surprise, and suddenly remembered something that Hoggle had said about one of his friends. A fox-knight. She slowly asked, "Is your name…Sir Didymus by any chance?"

* * *

Edorin's icy glare sent shivers down the spine of his general, who stood fearfully before him.

"You haven't found that gnome yet?" He asked, dragging his nails over the throne's stone armrest.

"Not yet, my Lord. But we will. My men are combing the city for her," his subordinate hastily assured.

"And the mortal…?"

The troll flinched, and answered slowly,

"My men…they said that she disappeared…in a flash of light."

Rage flared in the Troll Lord's unnaturally blue eyes. He rose to his feet and waved his hand, sending a large pillar into the air. The troll's red eyes widened. Without a word, the Troll Lord flicked his wrist, and the enormous structure crashed to the ground, crushing his subordinate beneath it.

Edorin turned his gaze to the horrified guards standing at the door.

"You," He said coldly, pointing to one, "Go tell the Lieutenant; send out all but the most essential guards. The gnome must be apprehended before she gets back into the Labyrinth."

He motioned to the broken pillar, where the dead troll was already evaporating into black smoke.

"And get this…_mess_…cleaned up. The captain outlived his usefulness. Do not make the same mistake."

The pair saluted him stiffly, and all but sprinted into the hall to carry out his orders. Edorin waited until the door closed before he turned his attention to his prisoner.

Jareth was chained to the ceiling, dangling from his shackles. He lifted his head weakly as the Troll Lord approached. His mismatched eyes stared defiantly back at his adversary's piercing blue ones.

"I see you are awake," Edorin said, noticing with some satisfaction the anger on his face, "You are handling the irony of being held prisoner in your old throne room rather well, it seems."

"I'd be handling it a lot better," The Goblin King said, hatred lacing his voice, "If my magic wasn't hanging round your _throat_."

A smirk played on the Troll Lord's lips as he fingered the glowing ruby pendant he wore.

"You noticed. How perceptive. I don't care for jewelry, but I had to seal your power into _something_, and I thought it appropriate."

"It doesn't suit you at all," Jareth sneered, shifting against his bonds, "Something simple and ugly would fit you better. Like, say, _a_ _dog collar._"

Edorin frowned deeply.

"So you're insolent even while you are _dying_…"

Jareth's eyes flew open in shock.

"_How did you…?!_"

He was interrupted by the Troll Lord, who had grabbed his jaw and twisted it upward, making him grit his teeth in pain.

"The mortal girl," The raven-haired Fae said icily, digging his nails into Jareth's skin, "You used your last spell on her. Where did you send her?"

"_Far…beyond…your reach,_" He choked out.

Edorin regarded him for a few moments, and let go, making the Goblin King gasp and cough.

"You sent her back to the Aboveground, didn't you?" The Troll Lord said in disgust, "To have wasted the last of your magic – your very _life blood_ – to rescue that _human!_ Your obsession has made you take leave of your senses."

"It was worth it," Jareth breathed, closing his eyes, "You could never understand."

Edorin's face remained emotionless. But his malicious eyes flashed in fury, enraged by what he saw as an insult. He reached up and seized his rebellious captive's left arm, squeezing his wounded flesh just hard enough to get him to cry out.

"Your arrogance grows tiring, Jareth," He hissed into his ear, "It would serve you well if I killed you right now. But nothing would be gained from it."

The Troll Lord relinquished his grasp. Regaining his usually indifferent composure, he returned to the throne.

"As it happens," He said, "I have resigned to let nature take its course. I am exceedingly interested to see what becomes of a Fae who loses his magic. No doubt the process has already begun."

In truth, it had. Jareth could already feel his strength steadily ebbing away, like sand in an hourglass. The only thing that kept him on his feet was the shackles that bound him. The dull throbbing in his chest was spreading; with each moment that passed, it was becoming more and more painful to breathe.

_Sarah…_

The Goblin King closed his eyes. He would still die alone, but at least _she_ would live. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

Sarah sat against her the wall of her bedroom, staring blankly ahead. She didn't understand. She didn't understand at all.

She remembered what he had said, their last words the first time. He had promised her everything she had ever wanted, if only she would stay. She had thought it was all a lie. Another Labyrinth trick. But it hadn't been.

"You meant it," The girl whispered, another tear running down her cheek.

_You have no power over me._

It must have sounded so heartless, those words. So cruel. Even as much as he had put her through, she hadn't meant to hurt him. She just wanted her brother back. So when the Muse had said that Jareth's heart had been broken…

_It was me_, Sarah realized_, I was the one who had broken it. I'm the reason his powers were stolen. I'm the reason he is going to die._

"It's my fault. _It's all my fault!_" She cried, burying her face in her knees once more.

Memories began to flood her thoughts. Their dance together in her Masquerade dream. When Jareth had caught her hand, and told her not to let go. The pain on his face when he had said that she could have acted like it was a hard decision. His kind smile when he handed her the peach. The way his eyes had stared deeply into her own, ever searching for a sign that his affection was shared...

_I can't let him die._

The thought suddenly cleared her mind, forcing back all the guilt and sorrow. She couldn't, not when she had finally learned the truth. Not when she had finally realized how much he truly meant to her.

Sarah looked down at herself. Was this how she really was? That when the chips were down, she just curled up in a corner and cried? That was the old Sarah; the self-centered, complaining, weak Sarah. But she wasn't like that anymore. Her friends needed her. The Labyrinth needed her.

And she was not going to sit there and do nothing.

Sarah pulled herself to her feet, angrily rubbing the tears from her eyes. _I can't let him die,_ she repeated to herself. _I can't. I __**won't**__._

"There has to be a way," The girl murmured, furrowing her brow, "Just like the openings in the Labyrinth. I just have to find it."

She again placed her hands on her mirror, sliding them over its cool surface. No, the portal was still shut.

But it _had_ been open before. And if it could be closed, reason led that it could be re-opened.

_Maybe I can force my way through_, Sarah thought, pressing harder against the glass_, Like kicking down a door._

So the girl pressed as hard as she could against the mirror. She put all her weight against it and shoved and shoved until she was afraid the mirror would start to crack. But it still remained solid.

"Open, _damn you!_" Sarah cried out in frustration. She rammed the bottom of her fist against it.

She could have sworn a faint, barely discernible ripple traveled over the mirror. But when she blinked, the mirror remained still and firm.

"Did…did I do that?" Sarah asked her reflection.

Had she actually willed the mirror to move? Resting a palm on the glass's surface, she concentrated.

_Open, _She thought desperately, _Open, open, open…_

There it was again. Another ripple, this time a tiny bit larger. She _was_ making it move. But how? She was just a regular human. She didn't have any magic.

Did she?

The Muse's words floated back across her memory.

_Magic comes from the heart, and a strong heart is a dangerous thing, indeed._

"A strong heart," the girl whispered in awe, placing her other hand over her chest. Yes, that was one thing she did have. Ludo, Didymus, Hoggle...even Leija and Turnok…they had helped her grow, helped her become brave. But Jareth had done the most; he had _loved_ her, loved her so much he was willing to die for her.

And now, knowing that they needed her…that _he_ needed her…her heart surged with a strength she had never before known.

She wasn't going to let some piece of glass stand in her way.

Sarah glared fiercely into the mirror, and began to speak the words that had given her so much power before.

"Through dangers untold," She said firmly, her voice swelling with authority, "And trials unnumbered, I have fought my way here…for my _will_ is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is great…"

Another ripple troubled the surface of the glass. The girl stared intently into the hazel eyes looking back at her, addressing not her reflection, but the frightened, selfish girl she had been.

"…_YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!_" She shouted.

The mirror swelled and burst, as if it were not glass at all, but a broken dam. Magic flooded over her, pouring over her senses, washing away her bedroom completely. The next thing she knew, she was flying in the sea of swirling magic. The green electricity of before began to hiss and crackle on her arms, searing her skin. Edorin's barrier spell was still there.

Sarah closed her eyes, trying to ignore the shocks, choosing instead to focus on the castle. She didn't have time to land anywhere else. To have a chance at saving Jareth, she had to emerge in the castle.

Invisible obstacles were smashing against her, trying to block her from proceeding. But she didn't care. She let them hit her, forcing her way through the painful assault. Just after the worst of the battering hit, the girl felt her feet strike something hard. She opened her eyes.

She was standing in a cavernous room filled with pillars and tapestries, and immediately recognized it as the entrance hall of the castle. Sarah took a deep breath, clenched her hands into fists, and began to run.

She only had thirty-eight minutes.

_I'm coming, Jareth…please hold on._


	17. Complete and Utter Chaos

**Hey all! I know, I know, it's been a while. I'm really sorry! I've been incredibly busy lately, and to top it all off, my over-achieving Muse has decided to turn my novella into a full-blown novel (without MY consent, of course). Which means that instead of being "almost complete", it's now only "half-way there". T_T Why do all stories have to be a certain length for anyone to want to read them…? There are perfectly good short stories out there! On another, but not unrelated, note, I just happened to glance at the word count on this little fanfic, and realized it's about, oh, roughly three times the length of my novel at present, which is already 82 pages long. **

**O_O No wonder I can never seem to get my novel done…**

**Anyhoozle, so after I finish **_**Saving Labyrinth**_**, don't expect me to start a new story for at least a little while. You know, seeing as how I can make money on my novel, I should probably focus on that. Bills and all. ^_^ Maybe I'll post the name of the novel on my author page later on…but I should probably consult the official rules before that. Wouldn't want to do anything against the rules…*sweats***

**Enjoy, and, as always, I am eternally grateful for your amazing reviews! THANK YOOOOU!**

**

* * *

**

In a musty, dark chamber in the dungeon, Turnok sat dejectedly on the cold stone floor. Only a few feet away, Hoggle was pacing anxiously. The goblin grumbled in annoyance. It was bad enough that the Captain of the Guard had been unceremoniously stuffed into the dungeon; it was worse still that the troll guarding them had confiscated his dagger. But apparently that hadn't been enough for Fate, which had mischeviously decided to stick him with the _dwarf_. His last few hours living, and he had to share a cage with his arch nemesis.

Fate was a callous old bitty, to be sure.

As his cell mate finished his umpteenth lap and began another, Turnok could bear it no longer.

"Will you stop that?!" He hissed, narrowing his already beady eyes.

"I'm thinkin'!" Hoggle snapped back, "Ye should _try_ it sometime!"

Infuriated, Turnok clenched his hands into fists.

"Thinking isn't going to get us out of here!"

"Neither is yer grumblin'!" The dwarf replied, glaring, and continuing his pacing, "Now pipe down, an' do somethin' useful!"

Silence followed. But it was short lived.

"This is all that human girl's fault," the goblin spat heatedly, "If she hadn't come here, _none of this…!_"

"All _Sarah's_ fault?!" Hoggle choked, whirling around. Anger had twisted his brow. "If ye want to blame someone, blame yer king! _He's_ the one that fell in love with her!"

The goblin leapt to his feet, unconsciously grabbing for the dagger he knew wasn't there.

"How _dare _you! Take that back this instant, or I'll save Edorin the trouble of an execution!"

"What are ye gonna' do? Stab me with yer_ invisible_ _knife?!_"

"_You brazen…!_"

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

Both winced, and turned to where the thunderous voice had echoed. For a split second, it seemed to be coming from the troll guarding them.

Until the troll fell to the floor unconscious, a large dent in its helm.

An enormous creature stood behind it, covered in orange fur, with large horns gracing the top of his head. His expression softened upon seeing the diminutive duo.

"Fighting _too loud_," he exclaimed, galumphing towards them.

"_Ludo!_" Hoggle cried out, rushing to the bars of the cell, "I never been so happy to see ye, ye overgrown mammoth!"

Turnok, however, was pressing himself against the far wall, his eyes wide.

"_What the devil is that thing?!_" He cried out.

"Ludo friend," the creature assured softly. He reached out his massive hands and took hold of the bars. With little effort, he bent them apart, leaving a hole plenty large enough for escape. Hoggle quickly slipped through the opening, and turned back to his friend.

"What are ye doin' here? Where's Didymus?"

"Brother went to find king," He replied, "Told Ludo to find Hoggle. Hoggle okay?"

The dwarf nodded. The orange creature turned to regard Turnok.

"Goblin okay?" He asked hopefully.

Hoggle glanced at his still-pressing-against-the-wall-like-his-life-depended-on-it companion, who had began to babble under his breath.

"Erm…more or less," He said simply, before turning his attention back to Ludo, "How'd ya know we was in here?"

"Pretty girl said so," he answered.

That seemed to snap Turnok out of his shock. He stepped forward eagerly, just as the dwarf exclaimed, "_Leija?_ Leija's alright?!"

"Went with brother to find king! Follow Ludo!" The orange creature ushered, before turning and clomping heavily back down the hall. Hoggle pursued. Turnok pulled himself through the bars, and went over to the troll. After searching it thoroughly, he relinquished his dagger from its belt.

Shooting the groaning guard a victorious raspberry, he hurried down the corridor after them.

* * *

Jareth gasped. His lungs were aching with each breath, though it still felt as if he couldn't get enough air. A sickening sensation was spreading over him. It felt like fire was running through his veins; but if that was the case, why was he so cold? He shivered, and raised his eyes to his captor.

Edorin was sitting on the throne, watching intently. Every so often, he would carefully add a few notes to the parchment on his lap. But his eyes never left the Goblin King.

Another wave of pain seared through him. Jareth bit down on his lip to keep from crying out. Even in misery, his stubbornness remained. He would not allow the Troll Lord the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

The Fae's limbs had begun to grow heavy, like they were lead. Every heartbeat rang deafeningly in his ears. Without magic to sustain it, his body was tearing itself apart. Jareth knew that he did not have long.

He closed his eyes. Memories of her voice drifted through his mind.

_Jareth, are you alright?_

_We'll find out together, then._

_We need to get out of here! Come on!_

_You could try to be a little nicer to him…_

_Hold on to me, okay?_

_You've changed too, you know._

…_I was worried about you._

The last one echoed several times in his ears. She had said she was worried about him. She had risked getting lost in her fears, and come back into the Well to find him. That determined, fair face. Those beautiful hazel eyes, filled with concern…she had rescued him from his nightmare.

Jareth opened his eyes when he heard the large stone doors slam. A troll had rushed in, looking disheveled and horrified. Edorin glanced at the creature in annoyance.

"Report."

"The…the prisoners, my lord…they have _escaped!_"

The Troll Lord stood. Rage flared in his eyes. His subordinate backed up a few steps, trembling in terror.

"_Find them!_" He hissed.

The troll didn't even waste the time of saluting before running back through the doors. Edorin shot Jareth an icy, seething glare.

"I _will_ find them," he assured venomously, sparks of green electricity dancing over his form, "And I will make them _beg_ for death before the end."

Moments later, the Troll Lord was replaced with a giant, black wolf. Snarling, it bounded out of the throne room.

Jareth's head fell, resting against his chest.

_At least…they have a chance now…_

His thoughts were interrupted as another surge of pain hit. This was stronger than the last, and completely overwhelmed his senses.

Twisting in agony, he screamed.

* * *

Sarah's eyes flew open. She skidded to a stop, listening. What _was_ that?

For a second, she thought she had imagined it, until another echoed through the halls. There it was again. It was faint, far off, but it sounded like…

_Jareth!_

The girl abruptly changed her course, heading towards the tortured cry.

There seemed to be few trolls in the castle. She hadn't come across any since she had gotten inside. She was grateful, of course, but the lack of guards made her uneasy.

_Maybe Edorin lost it and massacred most of them_, Sarah thought hopefully.

As the girl darted down another hall, she found herself at the top of a staircase. She wasn't alone. A good half-dozen trolls were marching up them.

So much for that theory.

The troll nearing the top stair bellowed furiously, pointing towards her. The others snorted, raising their weapons.

Her face filled with fear, eyes wide with panic.

For about two seconds.

Then the fear disappeared, and was replaced by a righteous fury that actually made the lead troll screech to a halt.

Jaw set in resolve, Sarah charged at the monster and, using her momentum, shoved it as hard as she could. The troll toppled over, smashing squarely into its compatriots. One by one, they crashed to the ground, like a row of gigantic, armor-clad dominos. The fallen trolls then proceeded to slide back down the staircase, where they landed in a groaning heap. Before any of them even had time to register what had happened, Sarah had jumped over their crumpled bodies and kept on running.

* * *

Not far away, Leija was seriously starting to question why she had gone with Sir Didymus. Riding on the back of Ambrosius, she chanced a glance behind to see a large group of trolls stampeding after them.

"What exactly are we doing again?" She called over the thundering footsteps.

"Simple, fair maiden!" The fox-knight cried, holding onto the reigns, "We shalt lure the beasts into a dead end, wherefore we shalt smite them with our superior position and the element of surprise!"

Leija balked.

"But if we lead them into a dead end, won't _we_ be the ones that are _cornered?!_"

"_Precisely _what the enemy shalt think!" Sir Didymus said confidently, "That is our element of surprise! Ha ha! What luck! There's one now!"

The gnome's face turned white. She really hoped that he secretly knew what he was doing, and wasn't just making up plans on the fly. Unfortunately, he was.

As courageous and clueless as ever, the fox-knight steered Ambrosius right into the dead end.

Far behind them, Ludo, Hoggle, and Turnok, who had seen the two riding the cowardly dog, were scrambling to keep up. In the dungeon, the goblin had not understood why the dwarf had been so horrified at the news Leija had gone with his friend. Until now.

"_Why didn't you tell her Didymus was crazy?!_" Turnok howled, chasing after Hoggle, who was sprinting at the front.

"_I thought it was common knowledge!_" Hoggle yelled back.

Meanwhile, the fox-knight in question had dismounted from his whimpering steed and brandished his fencing sword in what he thought was a menacing manner. Leija stayed planted firmly on the dog, looking for an escape.

"Thou knaves hath fallen right into my cunning trap!" Sir Didymus chortled, pointing his sword at each troll in turn, "Surrender, or abandon all hope!"

The trolls growled angrily, preparing to advance on the annoying creature who had led them on a wild goose chase through the castle. Suddenly, there was a loud clang.

The other monsters whirled around just in time to see two of their companions fall to the floor, out cold. Ludo stood there forebodingly, and raised his enormous fists. Sir Didymus took that instant to dart up the side of the leader of the trolls and onto its shoulder. Once at the same height of his adversaries, the fox-knight went to work. Leija, Hoggle, and Turnok watched in wonder as Didymus's blade zinged through the air, fallen foes piling up at his feet almost as fast as they were piling up at Ludo's. With a triumphant whoop, he slid to the ground just as the last troll crashed to the ground.

"Excellent technique, Brother Ludo!" Didymus said, before turning to the dwarf and goblin, "Where hath thou been, Hoggle? Thou hast missed many a grand battle!"

"Ye've been _here_ all along?!" The dwarf cried in dismay, "I been out searchin' the whole of the Labyrinth, an' you and Ludo been _here, in the city?!_"

"But of course!" Didymus replied, "'Is this not where our foes dwell?"

Red-faced, Hoggle was about to chew him out for putting Leija in danger, when he saw something that made his jaw drop.

A human girl had just hurried down the hall. A _brown-haired_ human girl.

"_Sarah?!_" He gasped, running to the doorway. She hadn't heard him, and was still rushing down the corridor. But at least now he was _certain_ he had actually seen her.

Hearing the familiar name, the rest of the rag-tag group soon joined him.

"Sarah _back!_" Ludo said happily.

"Mi'lady!" Leija exclaimed in surprise, "How did she…?!"

"There's no time!" Hoggle said firmly. He turned to his companions, taking charge for one of the few times in his life. "She needs our help! _C'mon!_"

They nodded, and followed after her, running as fast as they could to keep up with her pace.

There were only nine minutes left.


	18. Time's Up

As the girl bounded down the hallway, she heard a familiar voice cry out behind her.

"_Sarah!_"

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw in astonishment that her friends…_all_ of them…were running to catch up with her. The fox-knight, being the fastest while mounted on Ambrosius, was at her side first.

"Sir Didymus!" She exclaimed, "_You and Ludo…?_"

"Are unharmed, fret not," He finished, prodding his dog-steed to keep up with her, "But art thou?"

Sarah swallowed, turning back to face the hallway. Her emotions ran freely over her face, but she didn't care anymore. All that mattered was getting there in time.

"I'm fine, but Jareth isn't!" She said truthfully, fear in her eyes, "He's dying!"

Didymus nearly fell off his mount.

"_Dying?_"

"I have to find him! Please, do you know where he is?"

Realizing the severity of the situation, the fox-knight answered quickly.

"The king is being held in the throne room!"

Sarah thought back to her adventure from two weeks prior. She was fairly certain she could remember where the throne room was. She would be able to recognize the large stone doors, at any rate.

As they rounded the corner, the girl saw in alarm that the trolls she had pushed down the staircase had recovered, and were thundering down the other corridor. Her heart sunk.

There wasn't any time!

Suddenly, Didymus yanked Ambrosius to a halt, hopping deftly off his back and pulling his sword from its sheath.

"D-Didymus?" Sarah said, not understanding what her friend was doing.

Not glancing back, the fox-knight tossed a ring of keys back to her, which she caught clumsily.

"Hurry onward!" He urged, "Aid the king!"

A moment later, Leija, Turnok, Hoggle, and Ludo joined him, all poised for a fight.

"We'll take care of these fiends!" The goblin growled, wielding his trusty dagger.

Sarah faltered. The trolls were feet away, and more were pouring from the hallway.

"But…!"

"The king is the only one who can save the Labyrinth!" Leija exclaimed anxiously.

Hoggle gripped his hoe tightly, without the slightest tremor of fear. He stared hard into her eyes.

"We'll be fine! _Go!_"

Seeing his confidence, the girl nodded, and gave him a grateful smile. Turning down the opposite hall, she resumed her frenzied dash. Behind her, she heard the crash as the trolls reached her friends. The clangs of their weapons hitting the troll's thick armor resounded in the narrow corridor. Ludo let out a roar.

It took all of Sarah's will not to look back. She forced herself to keep running. She had to get to Jareth.

But even if she got to him, she still had to locate where Edorin had hidden his magic. There were only minutes to spare. What if the hour had just been an approximation? What if Jareth was already…?

_No!_ Sarah shut her eyes, forcefully banishing such thoughts. _Just get to Jareth, _she thought, _I'll figure out the rest later. Just get to Jareth!_

Four minutes left.

She opened her eyes. She had to concentrate. The throne room was close by, and she couldn't afford to miss it the first time. The girl passed nearly five other hallways before she saw one that looked familiar.

_Please, let this be the right one…!_ Sarah pleaded silently, sprinting down it.

Once inside the corridor, the girl instantly spotted the large stone doors, and her heart rejoiced.

Suddenly, a large beast appeared at the other end of the hall. Catching sight of her, it dug its claws into the stone floor, and screeched to a halt, allowing Sarah her first good look at it.

She gasped.

It was a jet-black wolf. _Edorin._

The beast quickly overcame its shock. Letting out a furious howl, it charged at her, fangs bared.

But this time, the girl did not run.

Instead, Sarah yanked a lit torch from the wall and rushed towards him. Winding up, she swung the torch like a baseball bat. The blazing wood struck the wolf's skull with such force that it hurled the beast into the wall. The girl darted into the throne room, shoving her weight against the one open door.

The adrenalin coursing through her veins served her well. The heavy door groaned shut just as the wolf dragged itself to its feet. Sarah quickly barred it, and, panting, turned around.

Her blood ran cold.

The Goblin King hung limply from the ceiling, his eyes closed.

"_J-Jareth!_" Sarah cried.

Before she even realized it, she was at his side.

The Fae had lost the strength to cry out anymore. His breathing was raspy and labored, his pale skin soaked with cold sweat. He moaned quietly, his body trembling in pain.

Sarah fumbled with the keys Didymus had stolen, trying hurriedly to find the one that would fit the lock of his chains. She rammed it into the keyhole and turned. The shackles sprang open, and the Goblin King crumpled into her arms.

The girl knelt to the ground, laying him out on the floor.

"Jareth! Wake up!" She begged, desperately trying to rouse him, "_Please, Jareth!_"

His eyes opened slightly and stared at her, unfocused. There was a glimmer of recognition.

"…Sarah…?"

"Yes, it's me," she assured, rubbing his hand in between her own. It felt like ice. "Your magic! Do you know where Edorin is keeping your magic?"

Jareth gave a weak, half-shake of his head.

"…it's too late…"

"_Don't say that!_" Sarah exclaimed. Tears had begun to stream down her face. She didn't want to hear it; she didn't want to, even though, in the back of her mind, she knew it was true.

A sad smile parted his lips. The Goblin King shakily raised his hand, brushing it against her cheek. His gaze rested on her beautiful face.

"…_Sarah…_" He breathed.

Then, Jareth's mismatched eyes closed. His arm slid to the ground. Behind her, the clock began to chime the hour.

_Booooooooooooooong…_

"_No, no!_" The girl screamed, shaking him, "_Jareth!_"

_Booooooooooooooong…_

A ball of green electricity crackled to life in the center of the room. Seconds later, the Troll Lord himself emerged. He had resumed his normal form; however, now a large, blistered burn marred his face. But the girl did not even notice.

_Booooooooooooooong…_

Her hazel eyes remained on the blond Fae who lay before her. Shaking with grief, she threw herself over his chest, as if refusing to relinquish him.

"_You can't die, Jareth!_" She cried desperately, "You _can't!_ The Labyrinth needs you! _**I**__ need you!_"

Behind her, Edorin was advancing. The wound she had given him was still searing, gnawing at his skin. Fury flared in his blue eyes. He did not know how the human girl had returned, but he would make sure she would suffer for it.

_Booooooooooooooong…_

Sarah bent over Jareth, her tears wetting his face.

"…_I-I…I __**love**__ you…"_ she whispered softly.

Suddenly, the ruby pendant around Edorin's neck shattered into a million tiny shards, the magic contained within it gushing out and vanishing into the ether. The Troll Lord roared in anger.

Hearing someone behind her, Sarah whirled around just in time to see Edorin fly at her. He seized her by the neck, thrusting her forcefully into the wall. Looking up, the girl found herself face to face with the enraged Fae. All traces of his reserved composure were gone; his countenance was now twisted in mad wrath, the burn from where she had hit him with the torch glowing bright red across half his face.

Bloodlust blazed in his eyes as his nails dug into her flesh. She cried out, struggling vainly in his painful grip.

"_You_ _wretched minx!_" Edorin howled, "_You will regret ever setting foot in the Underground!_"

He pulled his right hand from her throat. A sphere of green, hissing sparks formed in his palm.

Sarah squeezed her eyes shut.

It was a strange thing. All the stories she had ever read said that in the instant before death, your life would flash before your eyes. But for her, only the last two weeks played through her head. Memories of the Labyrinth, and of the friends she had made…

And Jareth. Infuriating, childish, _wonderful_ Jareth. By no means perfect, she knew well, but in hindsight, the love in his actions was evident. If only she had realized it sooner…

_If only…_

A scream abruptly ended her regretful reminiscing. Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped.

A crystal spear had pierced Edorin's shoulder. The raven haired Fae dropped Sarah, seizing the glittering lance, and trying to pry it from his body.

But before the girl could hit the floor, a rush of wind caught hold of her, and she was propelled to the other side of the room. As the wind dissipated, the scent of rosemary and pine caught her nose. Strong fingers gripped the small of her back and her legs. She became abruptly aware that she was being held by someone.

Her breath left her, and she twisted around.

It was Jareth.

"_How?_" The Troll Lord demanded furiously, wrenching himself from the crystal to face his newly-revived adversary. "It isn't possible! _It is not possible!_"

Instead of answering, the Goblin King lowered Sarah to the ground, and thrust his left arm into the air. More crystal spears erupted from the stone floor. Edorin barely had time to dodge before they impaled the space he had occupied seconds before. He conjured a ball of electricity and hurled it towards Jareth. He avoided it easily. Another gust of wind ripped through the throne room with the Goblin King riding on the crest, flying over the raven-haired Fae's head. As soon as Jareth's feet touched the ground, he raised both arms above his head. A forest of crystal stalagmites shattered the floor. Edorin jumped backward and threw another sphere of lightening, but the attack had caught him by surprise. He was off balance.

The blond-fae used the opportunity to summon the wind again, and shot towards his adversary at a dizzying speed. His boot caught the Troll Lord's chest, knocking the air from his lungs, and tossing him into the air. Before Edorin could hit the ground, Jareth swung his arm again, and two thick crystal spears blasted through the ruined floor. For a second, Sarah thought they would impale the raven-haired Fae, but inches before entering his body, Jareth swirled his hand in the air, and the crystal obediently split, remolding itself until it entirely encased Edorin's arms.

The Troll Lord howled in frustration, thrashing wildly, trying vainly to free his arms from their crystal manacles. The Goblin King lifted his right arm and rotated his wrist, and more crystal emerged, covering his legs. He continued to struggle, but it was useless.

Edorin had lost.

Before she even realized what she was doing, Sarah was running towards the blond Fae.

"_Jareth!"_

He turned in surprise, just as she threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. Then, a split second later, she let go, and slapped him – _hard_ – across the face.

"_S-S-Sarah?"_ He choked in bewilderment, his cheeks flushing madly, _"What on earth…?"_

"_Don't ever do that to me again, you jerk!"_ She yelled, before wrapping her arms around him again and pulling him close, burying her face in his chest. "I thought…I thought you were _dead…!"_

Still blushing, Jareth finally managed a laugh.

"_Dead? _I was merely unconscious, you silly girl! Your medical skills need some improvement!"

He lowered his lips to her ear, softening his voice.

"Though, I don't know how much longer I would have lasted, without your help."

A few moments later, Jareth pulled away, looking thoroughly confused.

"But…how did you get back into the Underground?"

"By being just as stubborn as you are," Sarah said slyly, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes, "That mirror didn't stand a chance."

Jareth stared at her, eyes wide.

"You…you broke through the _portal?_ But how? That isn't possible! You'd need magic…!"

Sarah just smiled. The Goblin King gaped at her. As he opened his mouth to ask, the girl lightly pushed a finger to his lips.

"It can wait," she said, her brow furrowing, "Edorin might be defeated, but his trolls are still in the castle. Everyone was trying to hold them off so I could get to you."

Sarah expected Jareth's face to harden, for him to rush off to save his subjects, but he didn't. Instead, a familiar grin spread over his face.

"Then let's deal with the leftover rubbish now, shall we?"

Then he clapped his hands.

* * *

"_This was a stupid idea!"_ Turnok yelled, ducking as a troll axe sliced over his head.

"_I didn't hear ye offer any better ones!"_ Hoggle retorted, trying to block another from advancing down the hall. "Besides, it wasn't _my_ idea!"

"_Then whose was it?"_

Ludo didn't say anything; He was busy chucking a troll back down the corridor.

"Wonderful strategy, eh? _Ingenious_ in its simplicity!" Didymus laughed madly, zipping up and down the trolls as they fumbled to grab him. "These wretched beasts doth not stand a chance!"

"I remember now," Turnok muttered.

"We just have to hold out until Lady Sarah reaches our Lord!" Leija shouted over the clamor. She was doing her best to protect Ambrosius, who was panting so fast she feared he might keel over as any given second.

"_If_ she reaches our Lord!" The goblin yelled grimly. The words has scarcely left his mouth before the troll he was fighting hit his mark, nailing him in his torso with the axe. The goblin was tossed into the air like a rag doll, and crashed loudly to the ground.

"Turnok!" Leija cried out, hurrying to his aid. Hoggle, who had also seen his fall, did the same.

Had it not been for his armor, Turnok would have most assuredly been dead. Hoggle tried to help him to his feet, but as soon as he attempted to sit up, he grumbled in pain, clutching at his chest.

"What's wrong? Are you injured?" Leija asked worriedly.

"Don't be stupid," The goblin growled, wincing, "I'm fine!"

But his second attempt to stand proved as ineffectual as his first, and he collapsed back onto the floor, wheezing.

"Yer the one who's bein' stupid!" Hoggle insisted, grabbing the goblin's arm. "Ye aren't fine! Yer _hurt!"_

"It's probably just a few broken ribs!" The Captain of the Guard protested, "I've gotten worse from His Majesty!"

The dwarf snorted.

"No doubt of it! Now close yer yap an' let us help ye!"

Before he could complain anymore, Leija took his other arm, and they dragged him backward, and out of harm's reach. The gnome girl looked back towards the never-ending barrage of trolls, her shoulders slumping. It was taking too long. Sarah should have already reached the King; either she had been attacked, or…

Suddenly, a thunderous clapping sound filled the hallways. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere, but, stranger still, appeared to have no visible source at all.

"_Attention, please,"_ A disembodied voice suddenly rang out, _"Everyone, kindly stop your banging about and listen."_

That voice! Leija knew that commanding, silken voice well.

"Mi'lord!" She gasped.

"_Jareth?"_ Hoggle yelped.

"Where?" Turnok demanded, whipping his head around.

"_This announcement is aimed mostly towards the armored behemoths mucking about my castle,"_ the voice continued, with a note of resentment.

The trolls paused their attack, lowering their weapons slightly.

"_Yes, you galumphing lunkheads, I'm talking to you,"_ It clarified venomously, _"Your illustrious leader has just been dealt a most humiliating defeat, so I will be the one giving the orders now. And my first order is this; any troll that wishes to remain intact, exit the castle immediately. Those that do not will be dealt with in an incredibly creative and painful way. I will give you twenty seconds to comply. Twenty…"_

The trolls looked at each other in confusion.

"_Nineteen…"_

Being much more quick witted than goblins, the trolls realized that if the Troll Lord had been able, he would have already crushed the speaker's skull, and sent word to them to disregard the announcement. Since he had not, it could only mean the speaker was telling the truth.

"_Eighteen…"_

They also realized that the speaker was using a form of magic, and if he could use magic, he was certainly capable of carrying out his threats.

"_Fifteen…"_

And he was getting impatient.

"_Ten…"_

Then the trolls began to run.

Dropping their heavy axes to the floor, the armored creatures abandoned their ranks entirely, and went sprinting down the halls, trying to find a way out. The disembodied voice continued to count down. The luckier ones reached a door; the majority had to throw themselves out a window and hope for the best. But there were a few hapless trolls, such as the ones Ludo had knocked senseless, that came to just as the countdown was ending.

"_Three-two-one!"_

The five trolls barely had time to realize what was happening, before they exploded in a brilliant shower of multi-hued sparks. As the embers smoldered into ash, Hoggle cast a glance down at Turnok, who was still staring wide-eyed at the remains.

"Yeah, that was definitely Jareth."

* * *

Sarah raised an eyebrow towards the blond Fae, who was grinning smugly.

"What did you just do to them?"

"Nothing that they didn't have coming," He replied, putting a hand on his hip. "Though Hogwart might whine about his eyebrows being singed off."

"_You arrogant wretch…!"_

They turned to see the Troll Lord glowering at them from his crystal confines, his abnormal blue eyes filled with hatred and frustration.

"Ah, yes," Jareth murmured, as if just remembering something, "I had forgotten all about _you."_

Rendered completely motionless, and unable to use his magic, Edorin could only watch as Jareth strided towards him, his mismatched eyes glinting dangerously.

"Now that I've got your _undivided_ attention, I think it's time we had a heart to heart chat," Jareth said firmly. He came to a halt a few inches from his adversary and crossed his arms.

"You invaded my kingdom, turned my subjects to stone, took over my Labyrinth, and imprisoned me in my own castle, and quite frankly, _I don't appreciate it."_

The Goblin King rammed his fist into Edorin's stomach, making him grunt in pain, clenching his teeth.

"However," Jareth continued, as if nothing had happened, "I am a mature, gracious individual, so I'd be able to forgive those childish transgressions eventually. But then…"

He leaned over until his face was a mere inch from the Troll Lord's. His eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

"…then you went and hurt Sarah, and now, I'm afraid, all bets are off."

Jareth pulled his fist back and slammed it full force into the blistered burn on Edorin's face. He let out a scream of agony. The blond Fae waved his hand carelessly in the air, as if trying to shake something filthy off his knuckles.

"G-Go ahead, then," the Troll Lord managed, still breathless from the pain. He gazed at Jareth, meeting his mismatched eyes with his own piercing blue ones. "I will not beg for mercy. I have lost…you are the victor. End my life."

As Sarah watched, she saw something pass over Jareth's face. He raised his left arm, and for a moment, she thought he was going to do it. But then a devilish grin spread over his lips.

"Now where would be the fun in _that?"_

Edorin paled.

Jareth spread his fingers and shoved them against the raven-haired Fae's chest. The crystal holding him shattered to pieces. Immediately, green electricity began to dance along Jareth's outstretched arm and sink into his body. But it didn't look like he was in any pain; rather, it looked like Edorin was. He twisted miserably in the air, his mouth wide in a silent scream. His body began to change, shrinking and transforming, until he was no longer a man, but a black wolf. The crackling waves lessened to sparks, and finally stopped altogether.

The Troll Lord fell limply to the ground.

Sarah cautiously joined Jareth, gazing at the unconscious animal.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I did the exact same thing he had done to me," Jareth replied. He turned, revealing the ornate emerald amulet that had appeared around his neck. The center of it was sparkling with electricity. He tapped the jewel with his finger, grinning boyishly.

"You stole his magic!" The girl gasped.

"Confiscated," Jareth corrected, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "And before you go worrying your pretty little head, no, it won't kill him. A Fae can survive infinitely without their magic while in beast form. Besides…"

He looked back at the raven-haired wolf.

"I've always wanted a dog. With some training, discipline, and the ever-present threat of neutering, he should make a decent pet."

Without warning, the Goblin King seized Sarah's wrist and pulled her close, causing her cheeks to flush dark red. Before she could even ask what he was doing, magic swirled around them, and she found herself standing on the top-most balcony of the castle. The girl tried to yell at him for not warning her first, but found that he had once again stolen her breath away. Pretending not to notice, Jareth stepped forward, raising his arms.

"Now to put my kingdom back in order. It is high time I stopped ruling over stone statuary."

**HEY ALL! Good lord it's been a long time since I updated. No doubt most of you thought I had just abandoned ship…T_T I'm really, really sorry about that. I've been really busy lately. I rolled up my sleeves and finally finished my novel, **_**The Doll House**_**. That being said, I also went on vacation to Hawaii, and well, quite honestly, I've just been plain lazy. But now, after a good swift kick in the rear, I'm back, and I'll be posting the FINAL chapter in no more than a week (yes, I'm setting a time limit for myself ^_^). Thank you all so much for putting up with a selfish wretch like me (I'M NOT WORTHY! *snivel*), and if you find it in your benevolent hearts, please review! **


	19. Magic of a Different Kind

**Yes, this is the last chapter! I know...I'm sad too...T_T...but I'm extreamly happy how it turned out! Thank you so, so much for reading, especially to all of you who have been so patient with me! Please enjoy, and as always, reviewing is appreciated more than you know! Without further ado, enjoy!**

* * *

Morning at the Williams household proceeded as normal. Both Mr. Williams and Mrs. Williams went about their normal Saturday morning routines, remaining blissfully unaware of the otherworldly visitors that had frequented their house the night before. The only physical evidence left behind was a broken coffee mug and a spilled vase of wild roses, both of which Mrs. Williams blamed on the poor cat. It was nearly twelve-o'clock in the afternoon before Sarah made her appearance. The rest of the family was sitting down to lunch when she wandered in, wearing a pair of jean shorts and a pink short-sleeved shirt, and wiping the sleep out of her eyes. She collapsed wearily into a kitchen chair.

"Look who's finally up!" Mr. Williams chuckled.

Mrs. Williams, who was trying to feed Toby, glanced over at her stepdaughter.

"It isn't like you to sleep this late. I was starting to worry you had come down with something!" She said, spooning some banana puree into Toby's waiting mouth, "What's wrong? Didn't you sleep well?"

"I did when I finally got to sleep," Sarah yawned. It had been five in the morning by the time she had climbed into her bed. It still amazed her that two days could pass in the Underground, and Jareth could still return her within hours of when she had left.

"That's too bad…did Toby keep you up?"

The girl smiled over at her younger brother, who was having much more fun getting his food all over him than he would eating it. She tousled his thin hair affectionately.

"No," She said, "He was an angel, like always."

Mr. Williams chuckled, turning the page of his newspaper.

"You know, if I had heard you say that a month ago, I would've probably went in for an ear exam."

Sarah's gaze fell to the empty plate in front of her.

"I know. And I'm sorry. I was a real jerk before."

Both her parents paused what they were doing, surprised. Mr. and Mrs. Williams were still getting used to how much their daughter had matured. The change had happened so quickly, it felt like it had happened overnight. They forced themselves to continue before she could notice.

"Oh, you were never that bad," Mrs. Williams said softly, "You were just a little confused, that's all. A lot of things change when you're a teenager."

Hearing Toby gurgling happily, she turned to see he had spilled the jar of banana all over his highchair.

"Oh no, _Toby!"_ She cried, pulling him out before he could get any more on him, "And I just gave you a bath this morning…!"

Mr. Williams wiped his mouth and stood up, taking his sticky son out of his wife's hands.

"I'll take round two. Come here, buddy. Let's get you cleaned up."

Her father disappeared up the stairs with Toby in tow. Mrs. Williams sighed and reached out to start cleaning the highchair. However, she was beaten to it by Sarah.

"I've got it," the girl said, smiling, "You can sit down and finish your lunch." She grabbed a sponge from the sink and began mopping the mush up.

Her stepmother blinked, wondering silently if this was really the same girl as before. Maybe she had been switched. Or brainwashed.

Mrs. Williams was pulled out of her conspiracy theories by the doorbell, and went to answer it. Sarah washed out the sponge and finished wiping off the highchair. She was about to make herself a sandwich when she heard her stepmother's voice.

"Sarah? Could you come here a minute?"

The girl frowned. There was something strange in her tone. She walked cautiously down the hall to the entryway to join a flustered-looking Mrs. Williams. Seeing who it was, she gasped.

Jareth was standing in the doorway. Instead of his usual flamboyant clothing, he was wearing a white dress shirt and black pants. His flaxen hair had been tamed, his bangs slicked back. His mismatched eyes were carefully hidden behind a pair of stylish glasses. Somehow, all the changes made him look a lot younger. Almost _normal._

Normal, and a tad uncomfortable.

They stared at each other for what seemed like minutes. Finally, Mrs. Williams broke the silence.

"Sarah…would you mind introducing your friend?"

"Ah! Yes!" Sarah said quickly, her mind racing. What was she supposed to tell her stepmother? "This is…um…!"

"David," Jareth interrupted, smiling, "David King. I'm Sarah's new Theatre tutor. No doubt she's mentioned me before…?"

"Uh…I…" Mrs. Williams said helplessly, glancing at her daughter. Sarah raised an eyebrow, giving her best _Don't-You-Remember?_ look. It worked.

Her stepmother smiled.

"Oh! Yes, of course! David! She talks about you all the time!"

"We usually meet at the park, but I was in the neighborhood, and thought I would just drop by and pick her up," He said lightly. The Goblin King turned to Sarah, adjusting his glasses.

"Are you ready for today's lesson?"

Seeing that Mrs. Williams was buying it, Sarah smiled in relief.

"Yes, I'm ready."

Jareth gave her stepmother another warm smile, and gently kissed the back of her hand.

"I'll be sure to have her back in a few hours. Lovely to finally meet you, Mrs. Williams."

"Okay, time to go!" The girl squeaked, "See you later!"

With that, Sarah grabbed a hold of Jareth's arm and began dragging him quickly down the sidewalk, leaving her stepmother standing at the open doorway, blushing.

When they got half-way down the block, Sarah let go and spun around, putting her hands on her hips.

"_Jareth, what are you doing? _You aren't supposed to be_ here!"_

"Well, how is that for gratitude?" The Fae replied, frowning, "I come all this way, dress up in these ridiculous clothes, and I don't even get a 'hello'!"

"Hello," The girl growled coldly, "Now, why are you in my world?"

"That's rather arrogant, considering the Aboveground 'your' world. It hardly belongs to _you," _he retorted.

"You know what I meant. Why are you _here?"_ She asked.

"Because I'm not _there_. I thought that would be perfectly obvious."

Sarah folded her arms.

"You're avoiding my question on purpose. Why did you come to the Aboveground?"

The Goblin King opened his mouth to make another snide comment, but his face softened, and he closed it. A few moments later, he replied, "I…came to check up on you."

Her arms slowly dropped to her sides.

"Check up on me?"

"When you left last night…" He began. His glasses slipped a little. Jareth whipped them off in annoyance.

"How on earth can you humans stand to wear these things?" He demanded, holding the glasses between his forefinger and thumb in disdain, "And these wretched clothes! They aren't flattering in the least!"

Knowing he had changed the subject on purpose, Sarah smirked, and resumed her walk.

"Well, men here don't walk around in capes with their shirts half-open."

"After observing a few of your species, I can see why," The blond Fae replied, following after her, "The women would have to gouge out their own eyes."

She chuckled.

"For what it's worth, I think you look pretty good in regular clothes. And you look a lot younger without your makeup."

"It isn't _makeup!_" Jareth balked, "It's glamour, and it occurs naturally. I had to use extra magic just to cover it up."

"Glamour, huh?" The girl said, flipping a lock of her hair mischievously, "I have something at home that looks a lot like your 'glamour'. I think the shade is called _bashful beauty."_

"_It's glamour!"_ He hissed, his face reddening, "And all Fae have it, though I wouldn't expect a _mortal_ to be able to understand!"

Sarah's eyes narrowed, but she sighed, closing her eyes.

"I guess you're right," she said.

The Goblin King blinked. He hadn't expected that.

The two of them continued walking, until Sarah spoke up again.

"Are all the goblins recovering okay?"

"Yes," Jareth replied, sounding relieved, "My subjects seem to be doing well. They are all stiff, and perhaps a bit confused, but considering the circumstances, it could have been much worse. The poultry seem to be especially foul-tempered. Nothing a few blasts out of a cannon won't fix."

"How is Turnok?" She asked, remembering the injured Captain of the Guard.

"Back to full health, thanks to a bit of magic. He's quite pleased to be ordering others around again, a sentiment I share as well. Though, I heard him snip at poor Leija after you left, and punished him accordingly."

The girl winced.

"You didn't throw him down a staircase again, did you?"

"Only once," He replied, "And it worked out splendidly. He landed on some lazy fools that were loitering at the bottom. I killed two birds with one stone."

"And Edorin?"

"Like any new pet, training is crucial. But discipline is the fun part."

Sarah turned to him, her brow furrowed.

"Aren't you worried about the trolls trying to come save him?"

"No need to worry about that, my dear Sarah," The blond Fae said, "The army retreated as soon as they heard he had been defeated. A flea has more loyalty than that lot. As for those remaining in the Labyrinth, I've already dealt with them."

"You had the soldiers kill them?" The girl asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised you have so little confidence in my character," He said, pretending to sound hurt, "It takes no imagination whatsoever to off your enemies that way. I returned the Labyrinth back to its original state, and used its lovely little surprises to drive them into oubliettes that all led to one very _specific_ location."

Sarah felt a broad smile stretch over her lips.

"You didn't…"

"The Bog of Eternal Stench might as well be called the Bog of Trolls now," Jareth replied smugly, "When that crazy fox-thing heard, he took his mutt and that horned gorilla to go and hunt them down."

"I'm sure Hoggle didn't like that," She sighed.

His brow furrowed slightly.

"Quite honestly, I don't think he paid much attention. Hogwart was too busy following around Leija. He fawns over her like some kind of ugly, love-sick puppy!"

The girl giggled.

"I think it's cute."

"It is nothing short of_ revolting!"_ The Goblin King muttered disapprovingly, "Worse still, I think she actually might care for the little scab. Leija is too good for him. I don't know what she could possibly see in that bark-skinned dwarf!"

"He isn't bark-skinned," She said firmly, before her tone lightened, and she continued, "And you know what they say. Love is blind."

Sarah walked a few more paces before she realized that the blond Fae wasn't following. She turned to see him standing frozen on the sidewalk, his gaze fixed on her. His mismatched eyes were churning with apprehension.

"Jareth?" She asked softly, drifting back to his side, "What's wrong?"

"I-I…"

He lowered his gaze, unable to meet her eyes any longer. The question had been nagging at him ever since he had sent Sarah home the night before. After a few hours, when he could finally bear the torment no longer, he had come to ask her. It was the real reason he had come to the Aboveground. He didn't know if he could bear the truth, but he had to know.

"Last night…when I was dying, and you came to me…"

The Goblin King glanced at her face, and his throat tightened. She was looking straight at him with her beautiful hazel eyes, her lovely face painted with concern. He could barely choke out the words.

"…d-did you mean what you said?"

She blinked, and instantly realized what he meant.

_I told him that I loved him…_

In all honesty, she had already thought that Jareth was dead, that it was too late to save him. However, those words had mended his broken heart instantly, and infused him with such power that Edorin hadn't stood a chance.

But now, he wondered if she truly meant it. Just like she had before…

A warm smile spread over the girl's face.

She was going to put those doubts to rest permanently.

Without warning, Sarah grabbed a hold of his shirt collar, pulled his face down, and kissed him full on the lips. When she drew back, he simply stared at her with wide-eyed shock, his ivory skin blushing dark pink.

For perhaps the second time in his life, Jareth had been rendered speechless.

After a few moments, once his mind had processed what had just happened, Jareth relaxed, and his face softened into the brightest, most beautiful smile Sarah had ever seen. Then he leaned over…and kissed her back.

* * *

_The End_


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